Because That's What Families Do
by HopelessStoryTeller
Summary: Twelve Year old Max struck a Deal to break Dean's contract and to take his place in Hell. She was given twelve hours to spend time with her family. Story is set at the end of Season three.
1. Chapter 1

Young Max stood in the center of the crossroads, holding a small wooden box. Looking inside it, she made sure everything was inside. A picture of her, dirt from a graveyard and a bone of a black cat. Dean didn't know where she was, he didn't know what she was thinking of doing. Second thought flooded Max's mind, was she really going to do this? Was she really going to my a deal with a demon? Looking down at the hole she dug, in the center of the crossroads then to her watch.

"Twelve hours left," Max said quietly. "I can't let you die, Dad. I'm sorry, but you're needed here, to save people with Sammy." Her mind was made up. She shut her eyes, quickly placed the box in the hole and covered it with dirt. She exhaled and opened her eyes, realizing what she had done. "No turning back now," she said sadly.

"Far from turning back, my dear," a voice said form behind. Max turned around and starred at the Demon in front of her. He was well dressed, black suit, purple tie, and had a Scottish Accent. "Max Marilynn Winchester. Why would a young girl like you want to make a deal? How old are you, twelve?"

"You know why," Max stood her ground, but deep inside, she was so terrified that she felt her soul freeze stiff. "I want to_"

"Save your daddy, Dean," he finished for her. He started to walk around Max, looking at her. Debating whether or not he wanted her soul. "What would you give to me, if I were to make the deal?"

"Break my dad's contract, let me spend 24 hours with him, then you can have all of me," Max offered. Her voice shook and broke. Her body trembled, knees were wobbly and she was too scared to move. "It's what Families do, especially my family. Sacrificing ourselves for each other."

"Twelve hours, then," he proposed.

"What?"

"I'll give you twelve hours with him, that's when he is scheduled to die. Take it or leave it."

"Only if you honor it, only if he lives."

"Do you know who you are talking to? You are talking to the King of the Crossroads. When I saw your name pop up, I had to come myself. A young Winchester making a deal. Do you know how much your soul is worth? The Devil himself would want to tear your soul apart over and over again."

"Such an honor."

"It is. And I will honor my side of the bargain, only if we have a deal, Ms. Winchester."

Max stood thinking everything through. Twelve hours wasn't going to be enough time. But it was better than nothing. Better than living the rest of her life without her father. Her mind was made up, she built up what confidence she had, stood up straight and looked at the eyes of the Demon.

"Yes," Max said, her voice was strong and unafraid, though deep down inside, she was screaming no. "For my dad."

The King smiled, he slowly walked towards her, but Max stood her ground. "Alright, Young Winchester. I'll break your Daddy's contract, and you have twelve hours with him, starting," he placed his hand on the back of her head and pulled it towards his. He smiled as his lips touched hers, and the deal was made. He pulled away, smiling, watching as a single tear ran down Max's face. "Now."

Max opened her eyes, looking around of the demon, but he was long gone. "Twelve hours. My last twelve hours on Earth." Max smiled, her dad was going to live. She looked up towards the stars and figured out what to do first.

Max quickly made her way towards Bobby's house, running as fast as she could. She wasn't going to tell Dean what she had done. Then he would want to strike another deal to save her. Max wasn't going to let that happen.

Bobby's appeared in the distance, smiling at the house, she used all her strength to get there as fast as she could. Busting through the door and saw her father sitting at the table with her uncles. "Hi, Dad," Max greeted proudly.

"Hey, shrimp, where have you been," Sam was the first to greet her.

"Just went for a quick walk," Max lied. She looked over towards Dean, he walk looking at her with a sad face. "I have an idea." The three remained quiet so she can speak. Both Bobby and Sam hoped that it was a plan to save her dad. "Remember when we used to pulled over to the side of the road in the middle of nowhere and watch the stars?" Dean smiled, he knew what she was going to suggest. "I found a great spot out there. I want to watch the stars for a couple hours, with everybody."

Bobby frowned, upset that it wasn't a plan at all. "Max, we only have less than twelve hours to save Dean. We need all the time we have left."

"Please, Bobby? What if the plan doesn't work? I want us to spend as much time together as we possibly could."

I think it's a great idea," Dean said. Max ran over to Dean and hugged him. Then she quickly gathered a few bottles of beer for the tree and a couple cans of pepsi for herself. Max was going to make the most out of the twelve hours she has.

The four left Bobby's house and started to walk into the field. They stopped at this old broken down car, rusting away in the middle of the field. Max climb on top of it and Dean followed her. Sam and Bobby stay on the ground and watched the stars. Dean wrapped his arm around his daughter, and she held his hand. Like they used to when she was younger. Both enjoying the time they spent, laughing about the embarrassing storied they told. It was perfect, for Dean and for Max.

**Ten hours left.**

"Okay, Ruby said that Lilith is the on holding your contract," Sam said to Dean.

"So, we have to find Lilith and kill her," Dean asked, looking skeptical to Sam's plan. "Then I'm free?"

"That's what Ruby said."

"I can't believe we're trusting a Demon," Bobby spoke up. Dean agreed, which only cause Sam to roll his eyes. "I mean, what if she stabs up in the back when we're not expecting it?"

"It's the best chance we have. Max, come on. Help me out here," Sam turned to Max, hoping for support.

Max looked at the three, waiting for an answer. Sudden pressure on her shoulders, like the fate of the world was in her hands. "It's worth a shot really. We shouldn't waste time arguing. Like I said before, if none of this works then we're screwed. I just want all of us to spend time with each other and not fight." The three looked at Max, not satisfied with her answer.

"What happened to you," Sam asked her. Max gave him a confused look. "I mean, yesterday, you were all up for killing any demon that walked in your path, but now…I don't know. It's like you don't want to fight."

"Max, what's wrong," Dean asked. Max looked into his eyes, and they demanded truth. But she couldn't tell them what she did, she couldn't tell him the truth.

"I…I just…" Max had to quickly think of something, and fast. "I don't want us to fight and argue all the time. Plans never go accordingly, Demons are always one step ahead of us. And if we fail, then we just wasted all that time arguing over something that didn't work. Instead of spending whatever time we had with each other. I'm not giving up, but I'm looking at the reality of it." Max looked up at, tears in her eyes, she hated lying to them, but she had too. "I think, we should go with Sam's plan. Ruby and her blade is the best shot we have."

Sam looked at Dean, then back to Max. Dean starred at Max, he knew something was wrong with his daughter, and he was going to find out when they're alone. "Alright. Come up with a plan, and quick." Dean stood up and grabbed his coat.

"Where are you going," Bobby asked.

"Food, I'm starving. Coming Max?"

"Dude, it's almost three in the morning," Sam pointed out.

"I am going to spend my last hours chowing down of bacon cheese burgers and grease. And there's places open all night. Let's go Max." Dean grab Max's bag and carried it to the car for her. She followed closely behind.

Max got into the Impala, watched Dean start it. Listening to the roar of the engine. It wasn't just a car, it was home. Their only home. The only home they knew, and spent most of their lives in. Max watched as the trees and dark homes went past them. She accidently kicked something, and looked to see was it was. It was Dean's box of cassette tapes. His music that he played over and over again. Smiling, she looked through them, looking at each one. Reading the titles of songs on tape.

Dean looked over and saw what she was doing. "You know what's in there, why are you looking at them all of a sudden?"

She continued pulling out we tape and reading the music. "Nothing. Just looking at them. I miss looking at these, since Sammy got me my Ipod you know."

Dean didn't ask anymore and just continued driving. He found an open diner near a truck stop. He and Max went in and seated themselves, waiting for a waitress to take their orders.

"The usual," Dean asked. Max nodded, patiently waiting for the waitress to walk over. Before she can asked, Dean placed the order. "Two bacon cheeseburgers, with two pepsis." The waitress wrote it down, and walked away smiling. Dean's smile disappeared and he looked towards his daughter. "Alright, Max, what's really going on?"

Max jumped at the sudden interrogation. "Nothing."

"You're lying."

"Dad."

"Max, come on. I'm your father, I can tell when something is up with you. Now, tell me the truth. Why are you giving up all of a sudden?"

"I'm not giving up, I told you that. I just want to spend time with you, that's all."

"That's lie too. The whole facing reality crap, that's giving up. That's not you Max, you always fought for something and never gave up before. Why are you now?"

"Dad, I don't want to fight. It's really all we do. And I never said I was giving up! Plans never go as planned_"

"Don't give me that crap! Tell me what really going on!"

"I tried to strike a Deal," Max blurted out, surprising Dean and actually got him to shut up. "Okay, there! I tried to strike a deal with a Crossroad Demon. To save your life."

"What!? Why would you do something stupid like that!? What the Hell, Max!?"

"I wasn't thinking! I know I did something stupid, but I don't want you to go! You can't leave me!" Max looked at her father, she knew he was angry, even more than ever. "Anyway, it didn't work. So, there."

"Why would you even think of doing that, Max? Just why?"

"To save you. First mom, and now you, I can't have you go away on me too. I…I don't know what I would do?"

"That's stupid of you!"

"I know. But, it didn't work so be glad. All I want to do, is to spend time with you. Sam's plan may work, but…"

"Thing's never go as planned," Dean finished her sentence for her. Max slowly nodded. Dean finally understood. "So why didn't it work?"

"They only gave me twelve hours with you. That wasn't enough time, I said no and asked for five years. No deal, then he vanished. That's why I was gone earlier. I didn't want you, or the other two to know. I'm sorry, dad. I'm sorry I lied. But, you would do the same too, if it were me going to Hell." Dean saw her tears, he believed Max's lies. He fell for it, and Max couldn't believe it. She hated herself for it. Truly hated herself. But she had too.

"You're right. I would do the same. I would do it over and over again to try and save you. But come on, you're only twelve. You still have a lot to live for."

"No I wouldn't, you and mom would be gone."

"You'll have Sam and Bobby."

"When you took me in, you said you would never leave me. You swore on Mom's grave that you would protect me with your life and you would never leave me."

"Max…"

"Dad, can we please just stop arguing. Please?"

Dean nodded, looking at the sandwiches that were placed in front of them. He wondered when they were brought over to them, and how loud they got. But he didn't care, he understood why Max was acting weird. He understood all of it. The two took their time eating, the awkwardness slowly went away after their fight. They began talking again, talking about past hunt, good memories, and crazy moments. They even ordered a whole pie and shared it. Max's final meal was a good one. She did her best not to cry, but a few tear escaped. Same with Dean, he shed a few tears as well. Thinking that this was his last meal as well. The two left the diner, satisfied and full. It was the most the eaten in day.

Max rolled down her window on the way back to Bobby's. Letting her long hair blow freely. Enjoying every moment in the Impala, listening to loud music with her father. Soon, they were singing along together. The sun began to rise, they made it to Bobby's and the four watched it together. Slowly feeling its warmth, savoring it. Max's final sunrise was a great one. She only wished she could see the sunset. After, they began to plan their move. Hopefully this time, THEY will be one step ahead of Lilith.

**One hour left**

Max's final time riding in the Impala with Dean and Sam. Remembering back when she and Sam used to sit in the back together. When Max slept, she would lean on her uncle, and he would cover her with his jacket. All the times they play Patty Cake and Jacob's Ladder together, until Max lost the string but blamed it on Sam.

They Bobby's around five, speeding toward Illinois to meet Ruby. She found out that Lilith is in a body of a young girl. When they got there, they quickly set a trap while Ruby went to lore Lilith to an empty the empty house where the Winchesters were at.

Max sat on the ground, waiting, enjoying her last can of pepsi. Dean began to get jittery, and so did Max. Sam was the only one who remained calm. Max started to get even more scared, but she reminded herself that it was for Dean. She did it for her father.

Dean looked at his watch and began to panic, "Fifteen minutes left, where the Hell is she?"

They all heard a howling in the distance, scaring them. Soon, Ruby broke through the doors telling that the plan didn't work. The three quickly placed salt at all doors and windows.

"This won't keep them out forever," Sam shouted.

"I'm sorry, I thought we outsmarted her," Ruby said. But, she was way ahead of us. "I'm sorry, Sam. I'm sorry." Dean looked over at Ruby and said her give a slight smile towards him.

"Sam, that's not Ruby, that's Lilith," Dean shouted. Suddenly, Lilith used her powers and slammed the three of them to the walls. Dean and Sam on the same wall, and Max was across the room from them. Dean grunted, "I should've figured it out sooner."

"Should've stayed sharp Dean."

"How long have you been in her? Where's Ruby?"

"For some time. I like it. It's all grown up and pretty. And, I sent Ruby far away," Lilith smiled, then looked towards Sam. "Hi, Sam. I always wanted to meet you. I wanted to kill you from the beginning, and enjoy doing so."

"You stay the Hell away from him and just take me," Dean demanded.

Lilith laughed at Dean. "Oh, I'm not here for you, not anymore." Lilith smiled at his confusion. She released Max from her powers. "Come here, Maxie."

Dean and Sam watched as Max walked slowly towards them, guilty. Her head was down, she was crying. Now they knew. "Max?"

"I'm sorry, Dad."

"MAX!? WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Dean shouted with all the air he had in his lungs and use whatever strength he had to try and get free.

"Go on, Maxie. Tell them your good-byes. You have a couple minutes to spare," Lilith said. She walked away from them to enjoy her front row ticket.

Max got up the courage to look at her father. He was furious as was Sam. Their faces were red, but also broken. Especially Dean, he was the one that was lied to the most. "I'm sorry."

"Max, what did you do," Sam asked.

"I made the deal. My soul, to save his," Max explained.

"Why!?" Dean shouted. "Why, Max!?"

"You are a far better hunter than I will ever be. I'm only in the way."

"Max_"

"The world needs you. You and Sam, way before me, were saving people and hunting things. The family business was never for me. I was only here to save your ass, like I always do." Max started to cry when she heard the Hell Hounds rustling outside the doors. Time was short, she need to tell them good-bye.

"Sammy, look after Dad. Promise me, that you won't bring me back, no matter what." Max watched as Sam began to cry. His only niece, was dying for them. "I love you, Sammy, you were the best uncle anyone can ever ask for. And don't' forget the pie for Dad."

"Maxie, don't. Please," Sam cried. "Max, we love you, don't do this."

She ignored her uncle's pleads and moved towards her father, who was already crying. Broken, he daughter, his pride and joy, was saving him again, for the final time. "Daddy_"

"Max, don't. Please. Don't go," Dean cried.

"Daddy, you have to promise, swear to never bring me back. Ever. No more deals. And don't die, because I won't be there to save you again."

"Maxie. Maxie. Don't, don't please. I love you."

"I love you, too, daddy. These last hours, they were great. It was the greatest time in my life. Thank you, for everything, for taking me in and risking everything for me and Sammy. And tell Bobby, I love him too." She took off her necklace and placed it in Dean's hand. It was her most precious gift that she received from her dad. He made it for her when she was young and never went anywhere without it. "Keep it. Please," Max said before she moved towards Sam and tried to hug him, but it was impossible, since they were still against the wall. Then she moved back to Dean. She stayed with him longer than Sam.

"I love you, Maxie," Dean repeated over and over again. Praying that this was all a dream, and Maxie will be there when he wakes up.

"I love you too, daddy."

"Time to go. Fetch, boy," Lilith said.

The doors flew open, and the growling grew louder and closer. Max moved away from her family, taking one last look at them. They were broken, shattered. They were going to watch her die, and there was nothing they can do. This was their Hell. They watched as Max raised her arms up, closed her eyes, accepting Death. Then watched as Max was getting thrown across the room. The heard Max's screams of pain and terror. Watched as her blood was spilling onto the ground. Then, it was over. Lilith was gone, and so was the Hell Hound. Leaving a broken Dean and Sam alone in the room, with the lifeless body of Max.

"Max…" Dean said quietly, breaking the silence and moving towards her. "Max…" He saw her dead eyes, starring into nothing. But throughout her tortures and shredded body, Max's face looked calm. Dean lifter her body into his lap, and cried. Screaming to God to trade places with her. Sam took off his jacket, and placed it on Max, crying along with His brother.

**A few hours later **

Bobby slowly got out of his car, and made his way to Dean and Sam. They were standing over a body that was wrapped in a white bed sheet and was ready to be buried. Bobby thought it was all a lie on his drive over. He prayed that Max would greet him and say they succeeded. His prayers weren't answered. And it wasn't a dream. Young Max was wrapped in the bed sheet. His adopted niece. And he loved her like one. Looking after her when she was little, teaching her how to fix up cars.

It was silent, Dean was still crying. Sam let a few tears out every now and then. They decided to say a few things, before they…well, you know.

Bobby decided to go first. "Max, you're one stupid girl. But, you made everything brighter, you know. Unexpected, cheerful spirited girl you always were. Hell isn't a place for a kind loving girl like you. You deserve to go to a better place. I'll miss you. I do already. I only hoped that you would live longer than us….I love you, Maxie. You idjit." Bobby finished and began to cry. He placed a sunflower on her body, because she told him a long time ago, that it was her favorite flower.

Sam went next, his voice broke at first, but he continued. "Hey, shrimp. I…I hope you do go to a better place. What you did, it was stupid. But brave. And that's who you are. Brave and strong, not afraid to make the right choice. You made everything better and crazier. The times we had, they were the best. I can't imagine the road now, without you. I love you and I miss you, Maxie." Sam finished up, and laid his favorite coat over her body one last time.

Dean, broken and torn apart fell to his knees next to Max. He held her hand on last time. "I…I can't. Saying goodbye to you. It's wrong. I can't believe what you did. I just can't. You know, I'm hoping that I would wake up and find you holding out a cherry pie for me. But that's not going to happen anymore…is it? I just wish…you told me the truth…but now I see why you didn't. Hell, if I was in your place, I would lie too.

"Max, you changed my life from the moment I met you. The very first time I saw you, I vowed to protect you with everything I had. I remember when, we first met, you weren't afraid or shy at all. When you mother told you that I was your dad, you jumped in my lap and just hugged me. That's a feeling I will never forget. And here we are. And you saved my ass again, like you always did. Just wait for me, Maxie. Together, we can take over Hell, you and me when I get there. Just stay strong, baby girl. And don't turn into one of those black eye bastards.

"I love you, Max. I always have, and I always will. I will think about you every day for the rest of my life. I will light a candle for you every year on your birthday. And I will sing to you. Eat an extra bacon cheeseburger and pie for you. I only wish I could see you grow into a strong powerful young woman. I love you, Maxie."

Dean's gift was the bear claw necklace he made for her years ago. It felt wrong for him to keep it, so he placed it on top of Sam's coat and Bobby's flower.

It was time. Max was a hunter, and she deserved a burial like one. Dean didn't have the heart to pour rock salt and gasoline on his daughter. Bobby had to do it. Them both Sam and Dean, lit a match each. At the same time, throwing it on Max's body. After a few second, the fire was already doing its job. And all they can do was watch and cry for Max's bravery.

* * *

Max stood in her cage, locked and cut off from whatever was going on outside. This was her Hell, hearing Dean's and Sam's cries for eternity. Until they suddenly stopped and her cage door opened. The demon that made the deal was standing there.

"Welcome to Hell, Ms. Winchester. You have a guest," he moved away and let in the Devil himself. Lucifer.

Max stood in terror as the fallen, caged angel stood before her, smiling down at her. "Max Winchester. The girl you sacrificed herself for her father. Welcome. I heard you were coming down here. I hope everything was perfect for you."

"It could be better," Max snapped.

Lucifer smiled. "And a witty young girl. Oh I hope for you to join our ranks one day. You would make an excellent soldier, what do you think Crowley?"

"She would be perfect," the crossroads demon smiled.

"Go ahead and try, you won't break me. I'm a Winchester. Raised by the best hunters in the world, taught to never give up and to stay strong. You will never break me, and I will never be one of you. I promise you that, and I always keep my promises."

Lucifer's smile disappeared. "We shall see. Your torture begins now and for all of eternity." He stood and watched as Max's soul was torn apart, piece by piece. Her screams were music to his ears. But Max never gave in. When she was whole again, she laughed that demons, knowing that they were going to fail. And whatever they did to her, Max Marilynn Winchester was never going to break.

* * *

**Okay, this is only a two chapter story. What did you guys think? I know I should be working on Not a Average Teenager, but this popped into my head. Okay, need your help/opinions. Max is going to be saved, that's for sure. Should she go to Heaven? Or be placed back on Earth and to continue hunting with her family? Review or inbox me. =) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, new chapter is up. Sorry I lied again, this might a three or four chapter story and I added more to the first chapter. But good news, I started writing Max's beginning. From when she met Dean until he goes to hell. So basically a prequel. I just gotta think of titles for it... I have a lot of work to do. Also, this is an alternate story, there will be no apocalypse, just Max getting a second chance really. Yay. Also, I'm thinking about making a tumblr for this... Anyways...ENJOY!**

* * *

The day was coming up. It was only three days away, Dean counted down. How can he forget when he made that promise to his daughter? Max was turning fourteen years old on July 13th. It's been over a year since Max made that damned deal.

It wasn't easy for the two Winchesters for the past year. After Max's death, they didn't talk for days, Dean would spend most his nights in a bar. Sam spend his nights dragging Dean out of bars and looking through Max's pictures most of the time before he finally when to bed. Hunts? They barely went on any in the first few months. Dean didn't have the motivation to go on hunts. Everything they did, it just reminded him of Max. When driving, Dean constantly looked through his rearview mirror, thinking he was going to see Max starring out the window, then wave at him when she caught his stare. He didn't know how he was going to go on with life with his daughter.

The thought of trying to bring her back crossed Dean's thoughts many times. He almost did one night when he got really drunk at Bobby's once. He found the same crossed roads where Max buried her box. He stumbled a bit, struggling to keep his balance. He pulled a picture out of his pocket, and he would look at it, just to see Max's smile. It was a picture of him and Max, it was his favorite picture. Dean had pie all over his face, because Max smashed it into his face when he looked away for a second. Sam and Max laughed about it until their sides hurt, and Dean, he was just upset that all that tasty pie was wasted. He made Max buy him a new one.

"I'm getting you out of there, Maxie," Dean slurred. He began to kick the ground, kicking the dirt away. Once he was finished, he closed his box and was about to place it the hole. Until, Sam run up and jumped him from behind. Bobby was catching up to Sam, but got there when they were rolling around in the dirt, fighting for the box. "Sam, no," Dean shouted repeatedly.

Bobby kicked the box away from them and set it on fire. The boys stopped fighting, watched as the small flames ate away the box, reducing it into nothing but ash. Dean, watched in horror, as his only chance of getting his daughter back was destroyed.

"Dean, what the Hell were you thinking," Sam asked, wincing at the small pain shooting through his body while standing up. He watched as Dean sat up, slowly reaching for the picture lying on the ground. Holding it, and letting tears fall onto it.

"I just wanted to see her, to save her. These two months without her, I can't do it anymore, Sammy," Dean slurred. He looked up to the stars, then to Sam and Bobby. "She doesn't belong down there, she deserves better. I just wanted to see my baby girl again."

"Dean, we promised, we swore, to never try anything to bring her back," Sam said. He saw that his brother was shattered, and there was no fixing him. "It was her last wish, and we have to keep it. For her."

"I want her back as much as you do, but we can't. And Max, always looked up to you. She would be heartbroken if she saw you like this, Dean," Bobby added. They waited for Dean to snap out of it for a while. He only stared up to the night sky and watched the stars. Then looking down to his picture, silently laughing at the memory. He knew Bobby was right. Max would be heartbroken seeing her father acting the way he is. "Come on, let head back. You need sleep." Sam and Bobby helped Dean back on his feet. He stumbled a bit before being caught by Sam and leaning on him. Sam didn't mind. They made it to the house, and Sam dropped Dean on the couch. He didn't fight while Sam took off his boots for him.

"Do you know what tomorrow is," Sam asked his drunk brother. He waited for an answer, but all he got was a look of confusion. "Max turns thirteen tomorrow." Dean had to comprehend what his brother told him. "Didn't you promise her something?"

"To light a candle…and sing to her… will she hear us singing to her," Dean asked sadly. He was drunk, he didn't know what he was saying half the time. But, he'll remember when he wakes up, he always does.

"Yeah, I think she will," Sam answered. He got up to get a blanket for his brother and when he turned around, Dean was already asleep.

The next morning, Sam woke up when a clattering noise was make in the kitchen. He rolled onto his back to see what was making the loud noise, only to find Dean starting to make an egg sandwich.

"Dean," Sam groaned.

Dean turned around, watching Sam rub his eyes and trying to get up off the floor. "Morning, Sammy."

"What are you doing?"

"Making an egg sandwich, want one?" Dean cracked another egg into the skillet before waiting for an answer form Sam. "Max loved egg sandwiches for breakfast."

"Where's Bobby?"

"Went on a supply run, said he'll be back in a while."

Sam tossed his blanked and pillow onto the couch and slowly made his way to the stove. "How are you feeling," Sam asked, watching Dean fry the eggs and toasting the bread.

"I'm fine, at least I would be if it wasn't for this damn headache I have." Dean went silent for a couple minutes, and Sam watching him place the perfectly fried eggs on to the toasted and placed a slice of cheese on each of them. He handed one plate to Sam and went to the fridge for a couple cans of pepsi. That's what Max would have with her breakfast every morning.

"What? No beer for breakfast," Sam asked when the pepsi was placed in front of him.

Dean glared at Sam as he opened his can. He was insulted. "You know, you and Bobby were right, Max wouldn't want to see the way I was last night."

"You remember?"

"Of course I remember. I always remember what happens when I get drunk. These last two months, I'm surprised I went this long."

"Yeah, I hear ya."

It got quiet again, the two ate their sandwiches and drank their sodas. "Thanks for stopping me last night, I don't know what I was thinking," Dean said out of nowhere. He looked out the window and starred at the tree that Max loved to climb when they were at Bobby's. "Remember when we couldn't find Max one morning here? We looked all over the place and it turned out she was up in that tree there."

Sam laughed. "You were having a panic attack. Well, more like a heart attack. How old was she?"

"She was seven or eight. We tore up this place looking for her. And she watched us do it. I was going to show her how to properly clean a gun after she ate up her grilled cheese. She even climbed down and ate she breakfast from up there while we were looking through the junk cars and everything. Evil little monkey." Dean took his last bite after finishing his story.

"Even then, she was a good climber. We didn't find her until what? Almost noon. Must've been pretty entertaining for her, watching us run all over the place." Sam finished up his sandwich and sat quietly for a bit. "So, what are we going to do today?"

"Everything that Max loved. Going for a drive, eating a bacon cheeseburger and watch the stars," Dean listed off. "And light a candle, like I promised. Then, tomorrow, we get back on the saddle. I can't keep doing this, drinking myself to death every night." He looked up at his brother for approval, receiving a smile and nod.

They did just that, after the sat around for a bit, the Winchesters went a long drive through the country, listening to loud music and not stopping until they got hungry. They pulled over at a diner somewhere, they sat down and ordered their meal. Dean order a bacon cheeseburger and so did Sam. Which surprised Dean, because Sam never ordered something that greasy. It was always something light for him. He even ate a slice of pie.

On their way back to Bobby's, Dean stopped to get a small cake and a candle. He got her favorite, marble with whipped vanilla frosting. When they got to Bobby's, they took the Impala out to the field where they watched the star with Max the last time. They sat there for a few hours, watching the sky. When they thought it was time, Dean light the candle, and let it burn until it went out. He placed the cake on top of the Impala, their home.

"Happy Birthday, Maxie," Dean said quietly to the sky, hoping that Max heard him.

The months passed. They were slowly healing, but Dean would sometimes drink all night when he was sad. But he never tried to summons a Crossroads Demon again. Or else, he would be breaking the promise he made to his daughter. Dean learned from Max, to always keep the promises he made for her, like she would for him. And Sam, he made it routine to look at the pictures that Max had taken. They never got old to him, he always laughed at some them, sometime, he cried and thought of the memories of each pictures that were taken. Every now and then, Sam would even eat a cheese burger.

Time slowly started to move again as they started hunting again. Hunting Demons, ghosts, shifters and rougahroos. Saving people, the Family business. It was difficult for them not to get caught or escape death sometimes. Max wasn't there to save them, but they pulled through with a few close calls. Every now and then, Dean used some of Max's weapons. Mainly her knife and her very first gun that she got on her eleventh birthday. Just to make sure it still worked and did its job. Soon, May came around, the first anniversary of Max's death. June passed and July rolled in. Her birthday was coming up again, and Dean decided to stay at Bobby's a few days before Max's birthday. To work on the Impala because it had a couple scratched when trying to drive out a dense forest. Dean wasn't' happy about that. But, what can he do?

After working on the car all day, Dean wanted to sleep. He walking into the living room and found out Sam was already asleep in the couch. He didn't care, the floor looked pretty comfortable to him after working all day on his car. Sam had two pillows, so Dean swiped on and dropped it on the floor. He looked for a comfortable position to lay and pulled the blanket over him. Sleep quickly took him and he dreamt that night.

* * *

_Dean sat on a dock at a lake that he loved going to when they went through the town. It was a great place to fish. There was no Max in his dream, nor Sam. Not monsters or demons, it was just him. And it was calm and peaceful. The wind blowing through the trees and the bird chirping and dog barking in the distance. He closed his eyes, savoring each moment as it passed. It wasn't very often that Dean had a peaceful dream. When he opened his eyes, a strange man in a trench coat was standing in front of him, staring at him. _

_Dean jumped to his feet, dropping his fishing pole into the water and was ready to fight. But was stopped when the man raised his hand. "Dean Winchester," he asked in a raspy voice. _

_ "__Yeah, who the hell are you," Dean demanded. _

_ "__I am Castiel, and I am an angel of the Lord," Castiel introduced. _

_ "__Angels? I didn't even know angels existed. I thought you were all just stories."_

_ "__Well, if there are Demons then there are angels. I am real, and I have come to tell you news." Dean waited for the angel to speak, he only wondered what kind of new it was. "Max Winchester is saved."_

_Dean blinked, making sure he heard that right. He was pretty sure it was a joke. "Wh-what?"_

_ "__Max Marilynn Winchester is saved," Castiel repeated. _

_ "__Saved? How? Is this some sick joke?"_

_ "__No, this isn't a…sick joke. God has commanded me to bring your daughter and raise her from perdition. And he has given her a second chance, for the sacrifice she has made for you. Go to where Max is buried, you will find that your prayers have been answered." Castiel raised his hand and touched Dean's head, causing him to wake up._

* * *

Dean said straight up and looked around. He was back at Bobby's, on the floor where he made his bed. He repeated what Castiel had told him over and over again. Then he got his boots on and woke up Sam. "Sam! Sam, Get up. Get up, we're leaving," Dean commanded as he threw his pillow on Sam's face.

"What? Why? Where?" Sam sat up lazily and watched Dean put his coat on.

"Just get up, I'll tell you on the way," Dean said. When Sam put his shoes on, Dean was outside horning waiting very impatiently in the car. Sam grabbed his coat and left Bobby a note on his desk. Dean already shifted the gears into drive before Sam could close the door. Then they were off to where they buried Max. And on the way, Dean told Sam his dream.

"Dean, what if it's not true," Sam asked. "It could be a trick set by the demons. I mean, who knows who this Castiel is."

"Either way, I'm going to find out," Dean said. He was speeding through the back roads, on their way to Illinois, where they left Max. "I have to find out. Otherwise, if she is there, she's not going to know where she is or what's going on. I need to make sure."

Sam wanted to say more, but he saw that Dean was determined and that nothing was going to stop him. Instead of a nearly five hour drive, Dean cut it down to three hours. He didn't stop, he only sped through Minnesota. Not giving a damn if he saw police cars waiting on the side of the road. They didn't give chase, they would have never catch up to Dean if they tried.

It was nearly five in the morning when they final reached the stop where they burned and buried Max. The sky to the East started to change colors slowly. But it wasn't enough light to help them look. Dean opened the trunk and dug out a couple flash lights. He held one up to Sam, but he hesitated on taking it from him.

"Dean, what if_"

"Sam. Take it. I just want to find out. Please." Dean glared at his younger brother, shoving the flash light into his chest. He closed the trunk and readied his gun in case it really was a trap. Sam did the same.

The two entered the forest, they haven't set foot there in over two years. Dean felt his heart begin to quicken and his stomach turned. He can taste vomit slowly creeping up his throat. Dean suddenly stopped, wide eyed at what he saw under his flash light. Sam, who was looked at a different direction bumped into his brother. He saw that Dean was a statue and not moving. He couldn't move, not at what he was looking at. The trees roots were showing, they were down, and some were splintered in half. Like an explosion happened there. They slowly walked into the crater, then to the center of it. Dean pointed his light to the ground, and scanned every rock, branch and clumps of dirt. He stopped, that was not a clump of dirt he just saw, it looked like a hand covered in mud. He moved closer, and pointed his light to the figure lying on the ground. Moving the light up and down the figure, he saw her face. The face of Max Winchester, covered in mud and was unconscious.

"…Maxie," Dean finally found his voice. He locked his gun back on safety and kneeled down next to Max to check for a pulse, "She's alive. Max? Maxie. Sam, run and get her blanket out of the trunk. Go!" Dean dropped his flashlight and lifted Max into his arm and rested her on his legs. Dean saw that she was holding something in her hand. She held it so tight it took both of Dean's hand to pry her hand open. It was her necklace, the same necklace that Dean burned and buried with her. Max never went anywhere without it. Even coming back from Hell, she refused to leave it.

One year, Dean hasn't seen his daughter for over a year, and there she was. Alive, breathing and real, the Max he raised, took care off and watched die for him was back in his arms once again. He had always wished his daughter to come back to him, now she was.

Sam ran to Dean as fast as he could with Max's blanket in his arms and a bottle of water. Dean was wiping some of the mud off of Max's face, when he saw Sam open the water, he quickly took it and pressed it on Max's lips, slowly pouring it into her mouth.

"Max? Come on, wake up," Dean prayed. He watched her closely before she started to cough up the water that got caught in her throat. "Max, hey. Wake up." She stirred and coughed up whatever water was left in her throat. She blinked a few times and slowly starting to wake up. Dean started to wipe the mud off her face again, with the help of Sam. "Let's take her to the car," Dean said. Sam nodded and helped Dean lift her up.

Sam went a head of them and moved whatever large object was in the way and guided Dean. The sky grew a little brighter, and Max watched as the shadows of the trees moved above her through her blurred vision. They made it to the car, Sam opened the door to the back seat and moved out of the way. Dean slowly, and carefully laid Max on the seat and kneeled down. He got the corner of her blanket wet with water and washed the rest of the mud off her face. Max brought her arms up to her face and tried to stop Dean from doing so. She didn't know what was going on, where she was or who was with her.

Dean fought with Max's arms, he grabbed them both with one hand and held them away from her face. "Quit fighting. Almost done," he said to her.

Her vision was finally clearing, she looked up to the where the voice came from and saw her dad and Sam looking down at her. She quickly sat up and moved away from them. She opened the other door and slowly climbed out, keeping her eyes on Dean and Sam. She didn't understand how, or why her dad was in front of her. How can he be? She's supposed to be in hell still, she thought.

"Max, it's okay," Dean said calmly. Slowly moving to the back of the Impala. Max watched his every move and went the opposite way as him. "It's me. It's dad, Max. And Sam."

"How," Max finally spoke up. Refusing to get any closer to them.

"We don't know. Max, please. It's us, we swear," Sam said to her. He went the other way from Dean, slowly getting closer to his niece. She moved back further away, trying to keep her distance. "Do you want us to prove it?" Max gave him a slow nod and watched as Dean opened the trunk and grabbed a silver blade and a flask of Holy Water.

Dean went first, he took off his coat and rolled up his flannel, holding his arm out. He looked up to make sure Max was watching and slowly cut his skin above the elbow, letting the blood seep into the dirt. Then handed the blade to Sam, copying Dean. Then the flask, Dean slowly took a sip of it, showing Max that he swallowed the blessed water and it didn't burn or kill him and Sam.

"Your turn," Dean said. Max looked up to him, wondering why she had to do it as well. "Just to make sure." He placed the blade and flask on top of the car and moved to the other side of the car. Max slowly moved closer to the items and grabbed the water first. She took her sip and showed them as well. Then, reached for the blade. She took off her muddy jacket and quickly cut a piece or her t-shirt off for a bandaged when she finished. She held her arm out and cut through her skin, wincing at the stinging pain and felt her blood run down her arm. Proving to them as well, that she wasn't a shifter, or a Demon.

"Max? It's us, we swear," Dean said after watching Max set the blade down.

Max shook her head. "How? You promised, didn't you? That you wouldn't bring me back. How could you?"

"Max, we didn't do anything," Sam assured her. "We swear. We kept your promise, we wouldn't break your final wish."

"Then how?!"

"Just let us explain, please." Dean gave Max a hopeful look, silently asking her to let him speak. Max moved towards the two, she couldn't do it, she couldn't fight back her tears anymore. She slammed into Dean, tightly wrapping her arms around him. He did the same and allowing Max to cry. After a minute, she let go of Dean and did the same to Sam. Then back to Dean, practically bawling now.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry," she repeated over and over again. "Don't hate me for what I did. Punish me if you want, I don't care. I'm sorry for doing this to you. For leaving you. I'm sorry. Just don't hate me." Dean and Max fell to their knees, Sam moved behind Max and sandwiched his niece between him and Dean.

"We don't hate you, Max" Dean cried. "We don't. We love you, and we're just glad you're back and safe." They sat there for a while, refusing to let go of each other. They were whole again, Sam and Dean. Max was back in their arms, it was the greatest feeling in the world. "Let head back to Bobby's," Dean finally said.

The three slowly let each other go, and got in the car. Dean was glad, his daughter was back in his life. He looked in the mirror, looking at Max watching her stare out her window. But something was wrong, she wasn't the same as she was before. She was different now, the way she stared out into the distance it looked like she just got back from a war. Max wasn't the same, and she didn't wave back at Dean when she saw him looking at her. She tore her eyes from his, didn't smile and stared off into the distance again.

The drive was quite for them. Once they got back to Sioux Falls, they stopped at a grocery store to get food to cook once they get back to Bobby's. Max didn't go in with them though, she stayed in the Impala and found her bag of weapons under Dean's seat. Looking through her bag, she took out each item and held it. Her first sawed of shot gun John made for her was first, then her first pistol, checking the cartridge to see if it was load. Then to her favorite weapon out of them all, her hunting knife. The first weapon she has ever gotten since she was allowed to go on her first hunt with her family. It tasted first blood when she killed a werewolf when she was ten. Around when Sam was back hunting with them. It was a given to her by John, and she swore then, that she would always take care of it.

"Hey," Dean stuck his head in the window, making Max jump. Dean saw her jump and backed up to open the door, chuckling nervously. "Sorry. I got you some from food." He went through the paper bag and pulled out each item. A bag of large chips, a couple of chocolate bars and water. The rest was full food that was going to be cooked at Bobby's.

Max stared at each bag. "That's…a lot…"

"We thought you would be hungry," Sam said, getting into the Impala.

"And…" Max looked towards her father and watching him dig into his pocket. He pulled out her bear claw necklace. Max's eye widen when she first caught sight of it. It was something she couldn't live without, it was precious to her. "You had a death grip on it when we found you."

"How? I gave it to you before I_"

"I…" He didn't have enough courage to say it at first, but he eventually spoke. "I burned it with you. It seemed wrong to take it." Max reached over and slowly grabbed took it from him. Teary eyed, she placed it around her neck and it was back where it belonged.

"I guess even on your way out, you still couldn't leave it down there," Sam said quietly.

Max looked at the two, nearly crying again. "You still have to tell me, how I got out."

"We'll tell you when we get to Bobby's. You need to shower and clean up first," Dean said. Max looked at her clothes, she was still filthy.

She sighed, "A shower sounds good. But promise you'll tell me then?" Dean and Sam smiled. There she goes with the promises again.

"We promise."


	3. Chapter 3

**Yeah, it's a day late...but Merry Christmas! Hope you all had a good one. It was kind of hard to write this. I had like so many ideas and none of them worked. But, I hope this one is okay.**

* * *

"But how can that be her? Nobody can walk out of Hell just like that," Bobby quietly argued with Dean and Sam. Max was across the hall, taking a shower, a nice long hot shower. Bobby was outside, working on an old mustang when the Winchesters got back to his place. He saw the Impala pull in and instead of two, three Winchesters got out of the car. He felt his heart stop when he saw Max slowly walk into his house with Dean following her. Sam walked over to Bobby and gave him a quick explanation of what happened that morning. One thought jumped into his head, and he was about to beat the crap out of Dean. "Just tell me, did you summon a demon or not?"

"No, I didn't. Believe me, the thought crosses my mind every day but I didn't summon a red-eyed freak," Dean sighed. He looked towards the bathroom, making sure the shower was still running. He lowered his voice, "An angel brought her back."

"An angel?" Bobby looked towards Sam, he only shrugged his shoulders. He didn't believe him as well. "How much have you had last night?"

"I didn't have anything last night…well maybe a couple. But that's not the point! An angel came into my dreams and told me he brought her back from perdition, or something like that. Then I woke up. I thought it was a joke too, but I had to check. And, there she is. It the bathroom, taking a long shower. But, there's something wrong with her."

"Like what," Bobby asked.

"I don't know. But she's not the Max we used to know. She's….different."

It was quiet, all that was making noise was the shower running. Dean slowly got up from the table and sorted through his groceries. Wondering what he should cook for Max. Since her birthday was only a couple days away, he decided that he was going to save the bacon cheeseburgers until then. He was going to cook his steak, with fried potatoes. It was rare that he cooked something like that. Since they were always on the road, he can hardly show off his cooking skills. But now, it was his time to shine.

Max sat in the tub, letting the hot water pour onto her body. She held her legs up to her chest and rested her head on them. Many thoughts clouded her mind. But the main question is how? How can she get rid of the screams that echoed through her head? The evil laughter, the tortured screams, the faces of twisted souls. Yes, she remembered what she went through, what her soul went through. Everything. It all repeated over and over again in her head, ever since she woke up, she's been hearing the screams. How can she get rid of the screams, the twisted face? Just how was she going to move on from this, to get sleep?

Max had finally gotten out of the bathroom, after spending an hour in there. Most of it was spend sitting there and letting the hot water run until it was ice cold. Her hair was down and combed out. Still wet but it was clean and mud free. She wore one of Dean's old sweat pants and a t-shirt that was also his. They were big on her, but she didn't care, the clothes that she wore earlier were thrown out. Probably burned. She needed new ones.

Max slowly walked around the corner into the living room, but her eyes stopped on her other uncle. "Bobby!" Max run into the kitchen right when she was him. Right when he turned around, Max was already going for a football tackle. She jumped into his arms and tightly hugged him.

"Hey, bean sprout," Bobby greeted her for the first time. "I missed you!"

"Me too."

"And stop calling me that, I'm not a kid anymore," Max smiled. Bean sprout, her forever nickname from him. She finally released him and smiled up at him.

Bobby stared at the girl, her smile was forced and it was noticeable. And she looked exhausted. "You look like just got back from a war. Didn't you sleep on the way here?"

Max's smile disappeared as well. Looked like she just got back from a war. She felt just like that. Except it was a war that never ended. Sleep? No. No sleep either. She tried on the drive, but the faces appeared every time she closed her eyes. She gave up on trying. Max didn't say anymore to him and walked over to the table where Sam was sitting. For a moment she was happy like she used to be when she saw Bobby, now, well she wasn't the Max she was. It was pretty obvious, to Sam, Bobby and Dean, she changed.

"So, tell me," Max said, moving her eyes from her hands and up to Sam. "You promised you would tell me how you got me out." It got quiet in the house, no one spoke. Bobby looked out the window, Dean was still cooking the steak and Sam looked down at his hands. "Who did it? Who summoned a_"

"None of us," Dean answered. He turned around from his cooking and looked at Max. She could tell he was serious, just by the way he looked at her, Max believed him. "Believe me, Max. I came close, so close to summoning a Crossroads Demon last year. But I didn't, Sam and Bobby stopped me. But the thought never left."

"So then how?"

"You changed," Dean changed the subject. He turned back around to flip the steak over and left it to cook again. His potatoes were done, so he turned those off. "Where's my daughter?"

"Dad, I'm me. Didn't I just prove that to you," Max lifted up her sleeve and showed her fresh cut she made earlier that day. "What more do I have to do, to prove that I am me?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"He means, what happened? Down there, what changed you," Sam explained to her. Max looked at the three, they were hoping for a story. Her story about Hell and what it was like.

Max shook her head from side to side. "I don't remember."

"That's a lie," Dean pointed out.

"Then don't lie to me! How could you summon a demon when you promised you wouldn't? How long do you have? One year, like last time? How long was I gone? Because you still haven't told me that, either."

Dean turned off the stove and let the steak simmer with the left over heat. "You were gone for over a year. We suffered for fourteen months without you_"

"Dean, calm down," Sam said quietly.

"_Do you know how hard that was? Do you know how hard it was to burn you? To bury you? We could barely say good-bye."

"That's not what I_" Max tried to speak, but she was cut off by her father's continuous ranting.

"A father should never have to do that to their child. So don't give me the 'I don't remember' crap. I just want to know where my Max is."

"_Dean_",

"I'm standing right here! Can't you see me? Dad, believe me, I am me! I always have and will be! I'm sorry if I can't remember what it was like down there. Maybe it's because I don't want to remember. Look," Max lifted up her shirt a little bit to show them her tattoo on the right side of her waist. "You did this tattoo yourself when I was twelve. What more proof do you want?"

"Max," Sam called. He's been trying to stop Dean and Max to stop arguing, but they were both stubborn and refused to give up until someone won.

"My name is Max Marilynn Winchester. You gave me my middle name yourself. Mary, grandma's name. And Lynn, the last name I used to go by before mom died. You gave it too me, so that I would never forget my mother. I was born July 13th, 1996. My mom died July 14th, 2002, I was six years old. A demon killed her, I called it a Black Eyed monster at first. And I've been with you ever since and this necklace, you made it for me and it was my Christmas present when I was six. It's the greatest gift I have ever gotten. Do you want more, dad? Or, since you think I'm not your daughter, should I call you Dean, or Mr. Winchester? Which would you prefer? Okay, you know what? I'm sorry, I am so sorry I left. Next time you're stupid enough to strike another deal, I won't do it again. I'll just let you die. Maybe my life would be better without you after all!"

"Max!" Sam's shouting finally got her to stop ranting. She looked back at him, then at Bobby, then to Dean, who was giving her a sad, broken look. He was hurt but her angry words, he felt like he was stabbed in the heart a thousand times. It was obvious, Max won and it shattered her father.

Max walked to the fridge and grabbed a pepsi from it. "I'm not hungry, you can have my steak," she told Dean as she walked out of the kitchen, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Where are you going, girl," Bobby asked, angry at the way she acted.

"Outside. Just…leave me alone," Max said before she shut the door. She took her boots with her, and walked out the door barefoot. She dropped the boots in the porch and slipped her feet into them. Walking away from the house, her head was down and she wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes. Soon, she disappeared into the junk maze of Bobby's yard.

Dean and the other two stood in silence, not looking at each other. Dean walked away from the stove and went to sit on the stairs, head down and silently crying. Dean and Max didn't eat, neither did Sam or Bobby. That battle they witnessed, it was worse than when John and Sam argued back in the day. The two whispered to each other, wondering what they should do to get Dean and Max to at least be friends again.

"Okay, you go talk to Max, I'll talk to Dean," Bobby ordered Sam. "Maybe we can get the two talking to each other before her birthday rolls in."

"Bobby, Max is out there in a pile of junk, where am I supposed to start looking," Sam said, looking out the kitchen window.

"Look up. Maybe she's in a tree. Like she always is," Bobby said before walking over to Dean.

"What do you want, Bobby," Dean asked before Bobby even made it across the living room. He stopped in his tracks, looking back for Sam, but he was already gone. "I can hear you two whisper back there."

"I just, uh, wanted to see if you were okay?"

"No, go away." Dean didn't take his eyes off the front door, debating whether to go outside or not.

"Dean, why did you_"

"I know, I shouldn't have done that to her. All of this is probably too much for her." Bobby stood there with no more words to say. Dean knew what was on his mind, he was think about the whole thing argument as well. "Do you want me to talk to her? I was going to, but I'll let her cool down," Dean said. "I'll do it, after Sam finishes talking to her."

"Okay…good talk," Bobby said before walking away from the stairs. "That just made my job a lot easier." Dean chuckled a bit and starred at the picture he was holding. His only wish, was to go back to those carefree days, with his daughter and Sam. So, they can be a family again.

Sam on the other hand, was still looking for Max out in the junk maze. Constantly looking up in the trees and through the piles. Nothing. He was about ready to give up, until he saw the car in the middle of the field, and saw Max sitting on top of it. Looking up at the sky. He made his way over to her, walking at normal speed, hoping not to scare her off.

"Does everyone hate me," Max asked before Sam even made it to the car. She said it loud enough for him to hear.

"No," Sam answered. He made it to the car and lean on the hood, starring in the same direction as Max. "We don't hate you. We were just…surprised at how you_"

"Acted? Trust me, I was too. I didn't mean to take it that far. I didn't mean to hurt him or to say those words…" she looked down at her hands, started twisting her fingers and ended up popping her knuckles. "I don't blame you three, if you hate me for what I did fourteen months ago and for what I said to dad. If you want me to leave then_"

"What makes you think we would do that to you?"

"Because, I'm a monster. I hurt dad just now, and I hurt Bobby and you when I…died. That's what monsters do, they hurt people."

"You're not a monster, Max. You never were and you never will be."

"I hurt all of you."

"Because that's what families do, Max. We hurt each other, but in a way, it makes us stronger than before. And we're always there for each other, to pick each other up, to help, to be jerks to each other like you and Dean are. And we make sacrifices. Sometimes small ones and other times, huge sacrifices. Like what you did, a twelve year old girl, striking a deal to save her father. That was_"

"Stupid?"

"Brave. That was brave. The bravest thing I have ever saw."

"Then why did he say that stuff?"

"He's just upset, and happy. He's feeling so many emotions right now. It more than he can handle. He didn't mean anything by it. We know you are Max. It's just, you're different, but I'm sure it'll pass. And you'll be back to your old self."

"I doubt it."

"…why?"

"Because I lied, Sammy."

"Lied?"

"I remember, everything," Sam looked up at towards his niece, she stared off into the distance. He could tell she was carefully trying to choose her words, so she wouldn't have to speak of Hell or what happened down there. "I remember what it was like…down there. That's why I'm a monster, because I lied and I hurt people close to me. That's why dad got mad, right? I'm not brave, I'm a fool. A fool thinking she can save the world and be a hero. But heroes don't go to Hell. I'm not the carefree Max I was before. If dad hates me, that's okay. I don't blame him. If he wants me to leave, I'll go. I won't fight. If dad sees me as a monster, then he can take the knife and stab it through my heart. I'd rather die, than to see him look at me the way he did for the rest of my life, Sammy. And I don't blame him. And I wish, I couldn't feel a damn thing. All I felt from the time I was down there until now, is pain. Fear. Depression. Anger. Rejection. And more pain."

"A teenager shouldn't be saying stuff like that."

"Honestly, I feel a lot older than that…time down there_"

"Max," a voice came from behind them. She didn't want to turn around, Sam's reaction was enough to tell her that Dean was behind them. And he heard the whole conversation they were having. Her words hurt him again, but he wasn't going to leave this time. Sam moved away from the rusted car and walked some distance away from the two. He saw Bobby standing at the tree line and he quickly made his way over to him.

"How did it go with him," Sam asked nervously.

"I'm guessing, better than yours." The two looked at each other, and grew nervous. They were afraid of what was going to happen between the two.

"Max, get down from there," Dean ordered. He waited, and watched as Max took a last sip from her drink and climbed off the car. Dean motioned his hand for her to get closer to him. She hesitated, but complied at the gesture. "You wish, you couldn't feel a damn thing?"

"Dad, I_" Max fell to the ground before she realized what just happened. She held the left side of her face. Realizing that she got smacked in the face, she stumbled back onto her feet. Only to get smacked again, but this time on the right side of her face. She was back on the ground. This smack made her bite her tongue and cheek, tasting blood, she spit it out and slowly got back on her feet. "Isn't this abuse to a normal family," Max slurred, wiping blood off her chin.

"We're not a normal family, are we," Dean asked. He grabbed Max's arm and pulled her towards him. Max's fought to get out of his grip when she saw him pull Ruby's blade out of its holder.

"What the hell..?" Max screamed as the blade cut deep into her skin. She pulled her arm away and moved back from Dean. Blood run down her arm and seeped into the dirt. Max stumbled backwards, clutching her arm watching as red liquid continued to leak through her fingers. "What the hell was that for?"

"Do you feel that? The pain? How does it feel?"

"It hurts, are you happy?"

"You need this. Pain lets you know tells you that you're alive. You need everything that you listed off to survive!"

"Okay I get it. You're mad and are teaching me a lesson. I get it."

"No, you don't! If I let you leave, you won't survive a week without us!" He stopped, he got Max's full attention now. Her eyes stayed on him, full of fear. He continued, "Pain shows that you're alive. Depression, you need people around you to help you with that. If you leave, you'll have no one to help you. Anger, gives you strength that you will need. Fear is instinct, it tells you how to survive. And the rest of the pain you feel, let us carry some of it, so you don't have to carry it all. And don't worry about being rejected, because we won't do that to you."

Dean slowly walked over to Max, but she backed away, staring at the knife he was still holding. He saw her eyes stay on the blade and dropped it on the ground. But, she still continued to back away from him. Even when Dean held out his hand, she refused to take. Slowly backing away, Max completely forgot about the rusted car behind her. She hit her back on it, now she had nowhere to go. If she tried to run, Dean would just catch her. She tightened her grip on her wound, keeping her eyes on her father. Watching his every move as he grew closer, until he was only a few feet away from her. Dean reached for her wrist, the one he dug his blade into and covered the wound with his hands as well. He cut too deep, blood kept pouring through the wound, soon it leaked through his fingers, as well.

"If you gives these up, Max, you won't survive, and I don't want to bury my daughter again. I don't want you to leave again. I don't know what Hell did to you. I don't know what you went through. But, let us help you carry that pain."

"…Why? Why would you do that?"

"Because that's what families do. That's what I do, it's my job."

"But, dad…"

Dean pulled her into him, wrapped his arms tightly around her body. She let him comforting her, shielding her from the anything. For the first time, in what felt like years to her, she felt safe. "And you're right, my Max is right here. She's just scared and hurt. Time will pass, and you'll be back to yourself."

"Do you promise?"

Dean smiled. "Yeah, I promise. And I promise, I will not let you carry this all by yourself. You know Sammy and I, you want to talk? We'll help you, together. Now, let's go inside and stitch that up." Dean released her new wound, taking a look at how many stitched she might need. Sam and Bobby smiled at them form a distance, glad that they finally made up. Hopefully this was there last fight for the day. But it's Max and Dean, who know when another pointless argument will break out between them. But who won this one? Let's just say they both won back their trust for each other.

The four sat in the kitchen, Bobby watched as Dean stitched up the deep cut and Sammy held Max in place. At first, the sewing became too painful for Max, she kept on moving and twitching. But it slowly started to go numb, he was nearly finished and he finished up his story of how Max got out of Hell.

"Angels? They exist," Max winced as Dean finished the final stitch. Watching as he cut off the threated and poured alcohol on her skin. "Castiel? What kind of a name is that?"

"Well, if there are demons then there are angels. He said he was sent by God to drag you out of there. He looked and sounded like a dork too."

Max said in silent for while Dean bandaged her wrist and taped the gauze together. "So, what would it take for an angel to drag a soul out of there?"

"I don't know. Why do you ask?"

"Because…I have something on my back. A hand print. Kind of on my shoulder blade."

"What hand print?" The three looked at her, shocked that she didn't tell them in the first place. Dean got up and took Max to the bathroom, leaving the other two wondering if they were going to see it.

They closed the door behind them, and Dean started to lift up the back of Max's shirt. She held the front of it down, and waited. Dean lifted her shirt higher until he finally saw the palm of the print on her right shoulder blade. "Max, hold the shirt," he tapped her shoulder so she knew where to hold it. He lightly moved his fingers on the welts, from the tips of the fingers down to the bottom of the palm. "Does it hurt?"

"It burns," Max hissed.

"Why didn't you tell me in the first place?" Dean pulled out his phone and took a quick picture of the red marks.

"…I wanted too, but…it's kind of in an uncomfortable place and I didn't want to world to see it. I started stinging not long after I woke up. And I didn't know what it was until I took a shower. Where did it come from?"

"I don't know. You can let go now. Just don't scratch or touch it." Dean moved away from Max and towards the door. Max released her shirt and fixed it before the got up and followed Dean.

"Dad?"

Dean stopped before he touched the knob, "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry…"

"I am too."

"No, I mean, I'm sorry for not telling you what I did. For not telling you that I made that deal."

"If I were you, I would have done the same thing," Dean told her as he left the bathroom. He turned and gave her a smile, "And quit apologizing. It's starting to get annoying."

"Shut up, you're the annoying one." She quickly followed her father out to the kitchen and sat back down in her seat. Dean was already showing Sam his phone. Starving, Max got up and went over to the shove, grabbing a steak and a plate full of fried potatoes. She ignored the conversation that the three were having, food was on her mind. Since she hasn't eaten all day, actually in the last fourteen months she hasn't eaten. Food was more important now than hearing the guys talk.

She sat down, slowly eating her steak, it was good. Juicy, tender and cooked to perfection. She always loved it when Dean cooked. It was rare, maybe a few times they stopped at a park or camp ground, then Dean would grill. Losing her thoughts in the food, she completely ignored everything around her. Until one thought appeared in her mind when turning to look at the calendar hanging above her.

"…can you think of anything, Max? Anything you can remember," Dean broke her thoughts.

Looking towards them with a blank face, then it turned to confusion. "Huh?"

His hands dropped, "Did you even hear us talking?"

She shook her head, "Nuh-uh…" She watched Dean and Sam drop their head and Bobby rolled his eyes. "Hey, is it really my birthday in two days? How old will I be?"

* * *

**Yeah, Max was never told her how old she is now. All she knows is that it's been fourteen months and in the show, Hell time is a lot different that Earth time. I think like 10 years a month? Because with Dean he spent 40 years there, and it was only 4 months our time. So Max spend a 114 years down there...that's a long time... and My sister just called me a evil writer just now...**

***hiding under a pillow as she throws markers at me* She loves Max... **

**Next chapter may be the last one for this story. Then back to writing Not an Average Teenager. Sorry to those readers for taking forever. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**Also! Who watched the Hobbit Battle of the Five Armies? And who cried? Because I cried like a baby when I left the theatre. That was my childhood ending right there. And I turned 21 years old on the 17th, so yeah... Also, I'm not ashamed to admit I cried like a baby. **


	4. Oops

**Oopps! Haha. I like finished up the last chapter at nearly five in the morning. Clearly I need more sleep. right? You two reviewers are right. not 114 tears. 140 years Max spend it Hell. Which is why I love reviews, it helps with my mistakes and encourages me more. Thank you both. You're awesome. **

**Next and final chapter will be up in a while. Need to fix a few things and whatever. Thank you again. =)**


	5. Chapter 4

**I know... it has been forever since I updated this one...things got busy. but enjoy.**

* * *

The day before Max's birthday was doing nothing all day. Except for getting new clothes, of course. But it was her usual stuff. Red, black, grey and the occasional blue t shirts and tank tops. New combat boots, jeans and flannel. Nothing changed from that at least. Also, her appetite was back. Everything that was on her plate was gone, she even asked for seconds. Savoring every bite she took from her father's cooking, the only thing she craved most was a bacon cheeseburger.

Max was happy to be back in clothes that fit her, instead of baggy sweat pants and shirts that she was practically swimming in. Her pale skin slowly changed to her natural color. Her hair was trimmed and fixed up but none other than Dean. Happy to be outside, breathing in fresh, free air. Smelling everything around her, listening to the insects. Feeling the heat of the sun on her skin, and staying up later than everyone else to watch the star for a bit. Everything she missed in all the time that she lost. Everything Dean, Sam and Bobby looked at the teenager, it was almost like she never went to Hell.

The next day, she went with Dean to town again, getting a few things and a cake for her birthday. It was odd getting a cake, they never usually get cake, only pie because cake wasn't the same. It was Max's birthday, and she was turning fourteen.

"I don't see why we need a cake. Didn't we always get pie," Max asked, following Dean to a small bakery in Sioux Falls.

Dean smiled, opening that door for Max and allowing her to go in first. "Yeah, but a simple pie won't be enough."

"Enough for what?" The smell of baked goods filled Max's nose, making her stomach growl. The smell of sweet sugar filled her nose, and her mouth salivating.

"I thought I told you, Ellen and Jo are coming."

Max stopped to think, her mind was all over the place for the last couple days. "This morning?"

"Yeah. You still don't listen," he said, rolling his eyes. He glanced down at her, looking at her glaring eyes and saw the darkness around them. "Didn't you get any sleep last night?"

"I… got a few hours," Max faked smiled up to her father. He gave her that look again, the 'We are going to talk' look. Oh, how she hated that look, even hated it more over the last couple days since her return. She looked away from him right away and walked over to the cookies on display. Listening for Dean to order for whatever kind of cake, she didn't care. Monster cookies caught her eyes, they were her favorite. Remembering when her mother used to make her those cookies all the time in the winter months. She always told Max that monster cookies were a good type of snack for the winter and they went well with hot chocolate.

"Max?" Ripped away from her thoughts, she found Dean waiting for her at the door with a large cake.

"That was fast," Max mumbled as she walked over to the door. They walked back to the impala together. "Did you order the cake yesterday?"

"Yep."

"What kind?"

"Chocolate with whipped vanilla frosting," Dean answered with so much pride in his voice. "And strawberry toppings."

"So, when are Ellen and Jo coming?"

"I don't know. Sometime today. They might even be there now," Dean answereds. "So, why aren't you sleeping?" Max got in the Impala, grabbing the cake from Dean, setting it on the backseat while deciding what to say. "And don't lie to me either."

"I can't sleep, that's all."

"Didn't I just say don't lie to me?" Her head dropped, her nervous habit kicked in. Hating how her father can tell if she was lying or not. She tried her hardest not to look at her father, but she could feel his eyes staring her down. After a minute for so, he started the car and headed back to Bobby's.

"I'm still waiting," he announced after five minutes.

Max brought her hair over her right shoulder and began to twist and knot it around her fingers. Looking out the window, watching the trees and houses go by and feeling the warm summer air blow in her face. Words, she had to think of the right words to say, but none came to mind. She could just not say anything and lead it into another big argument, but she was too exhausted. A few hours of sleep a night for the last few days wasn't doing her any good and she didn't want another fight.

Dean saw as she held her wrist with the bandage still wrapped around it. It would take longer to heal, since it was a deep cut. "Remember what I told you?" Max looked away from the window and up to her father. Her face was calm, but her eyes showed everything she was feeling that she didn't want the world to see. "Don't carry it all by yourself, Max."

"Can we talk about it some other time, Dad," nervously asking. Teenagers, putting everything off, hoping that one day their parents would forget, but they never really do. Especially Dean, he never forgets and he always remembers. "Dammit, you're not going to give up are you," she chuckled quietly.

"Nope and I can tell you're too tired to even put up a good fight," Dean smiled.

"Damn you."

"I win," he announced proudly. But that smile quickly went away when he saw his daughter wipe away a few tears. "Max_"

"Nightmares. Every night, every time I close my eyes, even just for a minute… I see faces, twisted, dark, evil faces. I try to push them away and sleep, but they come back."

Nothing more was said between the two. Dean said nothing after Max spoke. That was hard enough for her to say, just those few words was enough description for him. It was quiet the rest of the drive to Bobby's. Max rubbed the tears off her face, hoping to achieve that nothing showed that she cried. He wanted to ask more, but decided not to push any further. His daughter needed time, and he was going to give it to her, however long she needed it.

"Look," Dean said before pulling into Bobby's driveway. Max looked towards the front, disturbing her from her thoughts again. She smiled almost instantly. "Ellen and Jo are here." Max saw their car and couldn't wait to get out. She was about ready to open the door before they came to a complete stop, but looked back to the cake instead. "Go ahead, I'll get it," her father said, parking the car.

The front door opened before Max even reached the porch. Ellen came marching out with the meanest look anyone can give. She stopped in her tracks and backed away, fearful. Slowly walking backwards towards her father, trying to get him to be a shield. Behind Ellen, Jo came out, not even bothering to help out the fourteen year old.

"You. Get your ass over here right now, girl," Ellen stomped of the porch and waited. She considered running away and hiding, for the rest of her life if she had too. She seen Ellen get mad before, mainly at Dean and Sam. It was then she understood never to piss her off. Now, it was Max's turn to face the wrath.

"Better do as she says," Dean placed a hand on her shoulders, looking down at his daughter. Her eyes showed it all, terror, pure terror. She looked like a six year old again, trying to hide behind her dad to get away from the monster. "Come on, Maxie. Get it over with."

"What the hell were you thinking, Girl," Ellen suddenly shouted, causing Max and Dean to jump. "What was going through your head?!"

"I'm sorry," Max mumbled. She slowly made her way to Ellen, fearful of what may happen. This was even worse that Dean, probably.

"Sorry, ain't gonna cut it. You listen to me, don't ever do anything like that again! You don't know what you put everyone through. Especially what you put your dad through."

"I know. I know. I put him through the worst kind of Hell."

"You got that right. What gave you the idea that it would be better for all of us if you were gone?" Max stayed silent, drying Ellen's patients. "You better tell me, girl? Or I swear, I will smack you all the way to next year."

All the yelling Ellen did, it wasn't helping Max. So much emotion built up inside the girl, it was too much. It reminded her of the place. All the shouting and screaming. The crying and the wailing. The faces, of the tortured souls, and the Demons. Everything poured into her head, all the years that past down there, but only months on Earth. The pain. Feeling every ounce of it as she stood there taking the scolding with closed eyes.

Dean saw that Max was shaking, trembling. He was going to tell Ellen to push off and speak to her about it later. But Max spoke up before him…

"I was only in the way. I would never become a good enough hunter like all of you. I thought I was holding all of you back, because I was only a kid who needed a babysitter all the time. And I knew I wasn't going to become the best like dad or Sammy or any of you guys. I was stupid. It was stupid and I know that now. Without me, the world would be better and in safer hands if I was gone. I can thought handle what I went through, but it was completely…I can't talk about it…not yet. I wish I couldn't remember a damn thing about that place…"

"Wait, you remember," Jo asked. "You remember all of it?"

The young girl nodded. Letting tears drip from her face, and seeping into the dirt. Her face showed the truth, this is something she wouldn't lie about. "Every damn second. And I'm trying to forget. So, go ahead. Smack me into next year. Dad already beat you to it, he smacked me twice. It will be nothing compared to what they did to me down there. Everything I felt down there, is still up here. In my head, seared there permanently. And nothing you or anybody else will do to me will never compare."

It was quiet amongst the four standing outside. Bobby and Sam were looking out the window, watching Ellen yelling at Max. For once, it wasn't them getting yelled at. Ellen moved towards Max, no longer angry, but sad. Because Max was right, nothing can ever compare to what she went through. Not a smack, a broken bone or a cut up arm can compare to her Hell. The little girl they all knew, spoke like a person who has seen war and survived it. She wasn't a little girl, not anymore.

Max didn't move when Ellen approached her, though the fear inside her grew, she stayed. Looking up at the grown woman in front of her, she twitched when Ellen laid her hands on her shoulders. Soon, it turned into a hug that ended up in tears. Jo joined them, and Dean walked up to the house, Max's words seared into his mind. It was then, he knew he can never imagine what his little girl went through. Finally, Ellen and Jo let go of Max to let her breathe.

"You listen, do not ever do anything like that again. Do you understand? IF you even think about it, I will beat you until you bruise easily as a banana. Got it?" Ellen ordered. Jo laughed at her cheese reference and moved away from the two. Making her way over to Dean.

"Yes, Ma'am," Max smiled and wiped away the tears.

"Good. Let's go inside and start cooking."

It was quiet at first, between them all. Max went into the bathroom and washed away the tear marks on her face. Then changing her shirt into a more comfortable black t-shirt before joining the other in the kitchen. Dean had already gone out in the back to heat up the grill. Max sat at the table and listen to everyone talk around her. All moving around, grabbing beers and talking about previous jobs they had just finished. Ellen and Jo had just returned from Colorado, where wolf was attacking late night wanderers. Before Max was back, Dean and Sam had just finished a vamp hunt in Minnesota. Which ended up with them scraping up the car and nearly getting themselves killed. Max rolled her eyes and wondered how they even survived without her saving their asses. She wondered how everything was without her.

The young teenager's mind wandered to every thought that appeared in her head as the others were talking, laughing, cooking. Every time they spoke to her, she would jump out of her thoughts and be completely lost on what they were talking about. Max fake smiled and fake laughed her way through most of the day. Of course, she barely spoke during supper.

All that was on the girl's mind was the Bacon Cheeseburger she's been craving. Her stomach growled while Dean first placed them on the grill then lasted until it was finally time to eat. One burger wasn't going to cut it for the girl, she ate two and more homemade fries. Then the cake. It was weird to have a cake at this birthday. Max was always used to pie and Dean eating most of it. But, it was still good. Nice and sweet, and baked to perfection.

No presents were given, but the now fourteen year old was okay with it. Being alive and back with her family was the best gift to be given. She got a second chance. But Max still wondered why her? Why was she saved? Surely there are souls down in Hell that were there longer than she. So then why her? Was there a job the God needed her to do? At first, she didn't believe in God. Or that Angels existed. If Angels are real, then why didn't they help them? Save her from the Hellhounds? Save Sam from getting stabbed in the back, or John getting killed by demons? Where were the Angels when Karen died?

Max's faith wasn't as strong as others in the world. In her mind, somewhere deep, the feeling that she's a monster still lingered. Why would the Angels save her, if there was even a small amount of monster inside her? If they had known what she was about to do, to get it all to stop, would they have rescued her then?

Questions. Just so many questions stirred and brewed in Max's over-crowded head. The questions that flooded her mind, led to her daydreaming. Blocking out all the noise and people around her. Her daydreams turned into something dark, that filled the room and ate everything in sight. Was it- was it her cage again? The air she breathed was stale and the odor of rotten flesh filled her nose. Her breathing became unsteady, and strange voices stirred her mind. Sounds of banging and rattling chains. The pounding and scraping metal, all the screaming. The faces… the blood….

It all became too much for the over thinking girl, she blocked out all the talking going on around her and had forgotten where she was. Completely forgotten that there was still a little bit of cake left in front of her. She couldn't hear her name be called out to her. And the glass cup she was hold was being gripped to tight, that it shattered in her hand. That was when she finally woke up from her hurricane of thoughts.

She looked down at her hand and saw the few shards of glassed in her palm, along with the blood dripping onto her cake. Seeing her blood made her completely freeze. Her mind was racing so fast, when Max blinked, and she saw an iron rusted shackle with a rusted chain around her bloody wrist. It all became real to her when she tried to pull her hand away from something that was holding her. It wasn't the rusted shackle, but Dean's hand wrapped around her wrist, trying to wake her up. But in the girl's mind, she was back in Hell, and not in Bobby's home with her family.

"Max, snapped out of it," Dean pleaded. But the girl fought against the grip around her arm. Max looked up to her father and saw his eyes. They were now entirely black, he was smiling and his face was twisted. A demon. It was only a hallucination, but in Max's mind it was all too real.

Finally, with a struggling scream, Max freed herself from his grip, jumped out of her chair and ran. Dodging all the arms and hands that tried to stop her, even pushing Sam out of her only exit in front of her and out the door. Nothing ahead of her but a maze of junk, she ran again. Her mid turned the junk into blood stained walls and cages. Max saw hands reach out, trying to grab her as she ran passed them. It was a car part she tripped on. But, Max's mind made her see a hand coming out of the ground, tightly gripping her leg, it hurt. The girl screamed, kicking the car part away from her.

Dean finally caught up to her, watching her kick the spare part. He walked slowly to the traumatized girl, hoping she didn't see him yet. Sneaking up to the girl didn't work though, her terrified gaze caught him. She backed away, slowly, not taking her eyes off of him. Max didn't see her father, she saw a demon. A demon who was in charge of her cage.

"Max. It's me. It' dad," Dean said slowly. "Just calm d_"

"Get away from me," she panted. "Or I'll kill you."

The threat didn't stop Dean. He continued towards her, his hands were out in front of him. Trying to tell her everything was alright. But it didn't convince the girl. Her eyes quickly moved down towards the spare part. To stop Dean from getting closer, she kicked the part as hard as she can. It went flying up to Dean and almost hit him. He quickly brought his arms up to his face, bracing for impact. But it never hit him. It wasn't much, but it was enough time for Max to start running again.

Dean looked up, and saw that Max was far ahead of him again. "Max!"

Running as fast as her legs carried. Her mind was still showing the dark halls in Hell. And her name being called and the running stomps behind her were the demons that chased her. It wasn't long before the hunters gave up, they knew they could never keep up with the girl. They ran back as fast as they could to their vehicles. Bobby, Jo and Ellen got in their cars and drove on the main road towards the direction where Max went. Dean and Sam hopped on separate dirt bikes and drove them through the field. But there was no trace of Max. The field was empty and Max was so far gone, they had to split up to search. But the sky grew dark and it was only harder for them.

The noise faded, and Max still ran. She didn't know where to, but she ran until her legs burned and cried out in pain and protest to her. That was when she finally stopped. She didn't know where she ended up or how long she ran for. Nobody chased her anymore, the sky darkened. The girl fell to her knees and cried when her mind finally pushed away the hallucination and the traumatizing memories. They had finally stopped, and everything replayed over in her head, the glass shattering in her hand. Kicking the car part to her father, and where she thought he was a demon.

Max looked at her wrist and saw no shackles that bound her. Only saw the little blood that dripped from her hand. There wasn't much blood, but that little bit caused her mind to go crazy. Blood was the trigger, but what else will be a trigger as well? Oh God, they'll probably put her in a home and dub her crazy from this point on. Honestly, running away would seem like the perfect choice for the girl. But she was too tired to even stand up again.

_What can I do to make it all go away_, she thought. She wasn't expecting an answer, but a strange voice behind her gave her one.

"There is nothing you can do, but learn to move forward," A raspy voice spoke from behind. Max jumped back onto her feet at the strange voice. She quickly turned around, at first expecting a black eyed demon but instead a man in a trench coat. "They're all looking for you, Maxine. You should return to them."

"Its just Max and who the hell are you," Max demanded. Her voice was strong, but there was still a bit of shakiness to it.

She looked at the strange man, wearing a trench coat, black suit and a backwards neck tie? It was definitely backwards. Blue eyes and short black hair. Or was it brown? She couldn't tell, it was already dark out. He looked like a dork, dressed like a dork and his name…

"I am Castiel. I am an Angel of the_"

"Bullshit," Max cut him off. Castiel sent her a confused and strange look. "Angels aren't real." She turned around to walk away from the man. Without knowing, Max walked into the Angel and stumbled back after she saw what she hit. "Son of a bitch… Ah! Let go," she demanded when Castiel grabbed her injured hand and placed into his. It stung when his hands sandwiched her then, the pain disappeared and her hand was healed.

Max looked over her newly healed hand. Not even a scar on her hand. The blood was gone, and so was the glass. She cast her now believing eyes on the Angel, and more questions arose. Hopefully the dork Angel with the weird name can answer a few of them.

"How did you know what I was thinking," Max questioned.

Castiel answered. "I told you, I'm an Angel. I can read your mind, and I was the one who gripped you tight and raised you from perdition."

"You got me out? So you left the hand print on my back?" Max only received a single nod. "Why me?"

"You were given a second chance, for the noble sacrifice you made to save your father."

"Noble? It wasn't noble, it was stupid. There were other souls down there that deserved a second chance more than_"

"You fought. You denied them every time. All those years down there, you lasted longer than any soul that was trapped," Castiel's raspy voice cut her off. "Even at your weakest you resisted. Even when your m_"

"Okay, stop! Shut up," Max shouted. Tears welled up in her eyes and she did her very best to fight them off. "I-I know who was there. I remember it all and I don't need it retold to me. You said, there was nothing I can do to erase it all. What can I do to make it go away? Why do I remember it all?"

Castiel let out a small sigh. His blue eye met her deep green eyes, seeing all of the girl's thoughts, all the emotion she felt. Every pain that coursed through her body. Then, he dove deeper into her thoughts, and saw a figure of a girl. Broken, beat and half dead sitting in the darkest corner of her own mind.

"There is nothing that can be done to remove the memories. I am sorry," he said in a quiet tone. "Each day down there was real. So were the passing years. All the pain you felt, went through, fought against. You will always remember, you just have to learn how to control them. Put them away. Learn how to be a human again."

Max processed each word, one at a time. _Nothing. Can. Be. Done._ Her head dropped and buried her face in her hands. Learning how to control them, it wasn't going to be easy, especially to a fourteen year old girl. All the girl wanted to do was sleep again. Now to know that the painful memories will stay, Max wondered if she can ever go back to the way she was.

"Talking about it helps," Castiel added in. He watched as the girl still had her face buried in her hands and shake it from side to side.

She pushed her hair back when she stood up straight again. "I can't...talk about it, to anyone. I just want it to go away. I want to sleep."

"It will take time."

"You don't know how to get rid of it, do you? Am I the first soul you dragged out of that pit?" Castiel stood in silence, his mask was finally ripped off. The young Winchester was right. She was smarted than she thought. He nodded slowly. Max scoffed, "Of course, I have to get the broken, dorkiest angel out of all of them. Too bad you didn't come with an instruction manual or something." Max's legs were tired of standing and let her fall to the ground in a clumsy way. She brought her legs up to her chest and hugged them tightly.

Soon, the sound of motorbikes grew. They were close. Castiel heard them too, and was expecting the girl to run. Instead, he saw Max look at the stars. It looked like she found comfort when looking at the small lights that sparkled in the dark sky. He even saw her give a small smile, like she had forgotten all that had happened to her. Stars and the night sky was her peace.

"I haven't looked at the stars like this since that night," Max said quietly. "I missed them. I almost forgotten what they look like. My sky down there was always black."

"They are beautiful," Castiel looked at them as well. Soon, they only starred at them in silence and enjoyed every second of it, until the sound of two engines were right behind them. Castiel turned to look at the approaching Winchesters, but Max continued staring up, not bothering to look behind her.

"So, nothing can be done," Max repeated again. "I may be out, but I feel like I'm still down there. Still chained in my cage. Waiting for them to start again. Will things ever go back to normal, Castiel?"

"I don't know," he told her. Looking down at the girl you sat in the dirt and saw a single tear roll down her face. But then, he saw a smile, small though. But it was enough to assure him that she was going to be okay for a bit. "They are almost here."

"Yeah," Max said simply.

"I will be checking up on you. It's going to be hard, but I know you can gain enough strength to leave it all behind."

The teenager chuckled at bit at his small speech. "You are a weirdo. And that was a cheesy speech. That your name, Castiel. Can I shorten it?" Max looked up to the Angel and received a nod of approval. Max smiled, "How about Cas? Is that alright?" Another nod from the Angel, and the sound of engines right behind them stopped Max from smiling again.

"Max," Dean shouted. She and Castiel turned at the shouting voice and saw two lights shine in their faces. She slowly made herself stand back up on her unsteady, tired legs and only waited for the yelling and scolding she knew she was going to get.

Both he and Sam turned off their engines, kicked the stand out and hopped off the bikes. They both saw the strange Angel standing next Max. Sam already aimed his gun at him, but Dean knew who he was and smacked his brother's arm down. "Sam, no! That's the Angel I told you about," Dean explained. His young brother stared at him with unbelieving eyes at first, then over Castiel who stood his ground. "Put the gun away and tell everyone we found her," he ordered.

Sam did as he was told, and clicked his gun back on safety. He followed Dean over to the younger Winchester, and he too had expected him to shout at her. But instead, he gave her a long, comforting hug, which was very surprising to the both of them.

"Are you okay," Dean asked, looking over his daughter and grabbed the hand she injured. He saw that there was no more shards of broken glass in it. Healed, like it never happened.

Max saw that Dean was confused and didn't wait or him to ask how. "Cas healed it. And no, I'm not okay. And I'm sorry I ran off like that and making you worry. I-I couldn't_" Max was cut off but another sudden hug from her father. He nearly suffocated her.

"No, I'm sorry. I should've known it would have been too much for you," Dean said as he released her from his second hug. He looked down at her, moving a few strands of hair out of her face, sending sad smile. "Don't scare me like that again."

The girl nodded, "I promise. Hey, Sammy." Max moved away from her father and was embraced by another concerned hug. "Sammy…can't…breathe…" Sam quickly released her. She turned her attention to the Angel that stood and watched the humans. She smiled at him, and he gave her a soft smile before disappearing before her eyes.

"Ready to head back," Sam asked.

Max's smile disappeared and wondered what everyone would say to her when she got back. "No," she answered.

"Well, it's late, Max. Come on, we can't stay out here all night. Besides everyone is waiting," Dean climbed onto his bike and waited.

Max hesitated for a moment, looking at the stars again before climbing on the same bike as Dean. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hung on tightly. The bikes started and they were off. Driving on a rough gravel round and the warm summer wind blowing pass them. Max's hair was starting to tangle, but she didn't care. She only cared about what everyone will say to her when they got back to Bobby's.

It wasn't like Max thought it was going to be when they got back. Everyone hugged her, worried about her, and hugged her more. Especially Ellen, who saw the girl as a granddaughter. No one said a word about what happened earlier. There was always someone to check on Max, or had to be in the same room as her. Trying to be careful and hoped not to trigger anymore dark flashbacks.

Jo and Ellen stayed to help clean a before deciding to leave and get back on the road. They said their good-byes and gave Max one last hug before they left. Then it was quiet, just the elder Winchesters and Bobby sitting in the kitchen while the young one sat on the couch in her gym shorts and tank top, staring off in the distance. Waiting for sleep to take her, but she was too after to close her eyes and drift off. What if she had another hallucination where she hurt Sam, Dean or Bobby? That was her biggest concern, hurting her loved ones. She's done that too many times already. Oh God, how was she ever going to get sleep?

"Max," Dean's voice snapped her back to reality. Max found him standing next to her with a glass of water in one hand, and something else in the other. "Here, take these."

Max held out her hand and saw two green capsules drop into her hand. "What are these," she questioned suspiciously.

"Sleeping pills. Strong ones. Should knock you right out here in a bit," he explained, handing her the glass of water.

"Dad_"

"Max, please. You need sleep. Living on a few hours of sleep a week isn't healthy," he pressed on.

"Says the one who eats a tons of grease for breakfast, lunch and dinner," she weakly smiled.

"Hey, I eat what I want, so don't even try to go there. Take'em," he ordered once more. Dean stood and watched, to make sure his daughter took the pills. She sighed and dumped the capsules into her mouth, then drowned them with the water. Chugging it down, hoping neither of the pills got stuck in her throat. She coughed a bit, before handing the glass to back to her father. He was satisfied.

"Alright, come on," he turned towards the kitchen and placed the glass in the sink. Max followed, wondering where she was going. Dean made sure she followed before heading down to the basement. Max groaned, because she knew where this whole thing was leading.

Coming off the last step, Max found Sam standing inside the all-around ironed walled room, with the pillow and blankets she's been using for the past few days. She groaned, "Do I really have to sleep in here?"

"Yeah," Dean answered as the approached the room.

"Why," she asked.

"It's just for tonight, Max. After everything that's happened, we thought it was best for you. And so you don't run off again," Sam explained.

"I said I was sorry," the girl leaned on her father for support. The pills were already taking effect on her, and her vision slowly started to blur.

"We know, it's just for tonight, though. I promise," Dean assured, as they watched Sam place the pillow and blanket on the cot for her. "Come on," Dean moved forward with his arm on Max's back, leading her to the bed.

Though Max wanted to fight, she couldn't. She was already too tired and weak. She told her body not lay down, but it ignored her once again and her head dropped to the pillow. Already dozing off, Dean pulled the blanket over her and stayed by her side. Max felt a hand placed on her forehead and saw her uncle softly smile down at her. Wishing her goodnight, he left the iron room and headed up the stairs. Dean was about to leave too, until a small voice called out to him.

"Dad… please stay," Max said quietly.

Without a second of hesitating, Dean grabbed a chair, and sat by his daughter. Her hand rested on the pillow, and she was already nodding off. Softy smiling at his daughter, he grabbed her hand and held it tight within his. Max knew she was safe now. She was back with her father, with her family.

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**Not done yet! There's more!**


	6. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the late updates. I hope you all enjoy reading, and have a wonderful day!**

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Stomping boots echoed through the abandoned building. They were loud, booming. Sounding thunder when they ran through the halls. And, they were fast. Dean and Sam couldn't keep up with the young Winchester, running after the vampire that they've been hunting. Kidnapping teenage girls and storing them in a cage. Blood banks. They even tried to get Max, but they didn't know who she was and what she does. Working in the family business. But something more important than her title as a Winchester, it was more important than just her name. The Demons and Angels know her, and her title spread from the top of the food chain, to the lowest monster.

Max Marilynn Winchester, the Girl Who Escaped. Hell's Number One. Hell's Doll. Whatever the title was, she was just Max. She's an expert hunter, and a master in killing. Trained by her father, by her uncles, and whoever was in her family of hunters. She wasn't a little girl who always thought she was in the way, not anymore. She was now one of the best hunters in the world, and she even surpassed her own father with her improved skills. She had her mind set on getting rid of all the monsters people believe lurk under beds and in closets. This included Demons. She killed them. Every opportunity that involve sending the damned soul back down was a pleasure to Max Winchester. She hated them. Hated all of them. That was her strive. Become the best hunter to be rid of them all and more.

Though, questions remain unanswered for the rest of Max's family. Many questions. What happened to the young Winchester in the Pit? And why would she still not talk about it? About any of it? Something wasn't the same about her when she got out of her cage. It was obvious, to Dean. To Sam. The way she hunted. The way she killed with no emotions, no thoughts. Just one swipe on the blade, or the simple movement of pulling the trigger, her job was done and it was on to the next then the next.

A dead end came up. There was no way out for the vamp, there was no escape from the Hunter. All walls around him, one door, no exit now that the Max had cut him off. His eyes were only on her. Watching her breathing, smelling the blood that dripped from her small cut on the face. He saw the smile appear on her face and the blade raise up.

"No back up, little girl," he said to her, growing nervous. Desperately trying to think of a way to escape.

Max smirked, noticing that he was nervous and his hands were shaky. "Don't need it," she said calmly. Her voice was low and steady. She her breathing was normal, no panting or signs of distress. It wasn't shaky. She was calm, scary calm. Max spoke like Dean, even sometimes sound like him when it comes to arguments or smart ass remarks.

"Hell's Number One Girl," he called her.

"Shut up," she growled.

"Don't like that name?"

"After years of being call that, it gets annoying," she shrugged at the boring titles she had for four years.

"Do you want to know why you're called that? There's a bounty on you. Someone wants you alive. I wouldn't be too cocky in the near future, if I were you," he warned. He knew he wasn't going to make it out alive, he might as well have some fun with her.

"What do you mean?"

"A demon hunts you. They say she knows you like the back of her hand. And she's been watching you all this time, waiting. Be watching your back girl, she can strike at any time, you know."

"Who," Max demanded. She grew frustrated at the vampire and his little game.

The vamp saw, and smiled at her. "You should know her. They say she's the best when it comes to killing hunters and she always gets what she wants. She wants you back in your chains, Girl," he taunted, and that was all he was going to say.

The vampire jumped towards her, suddenly. Max, with no other choice, swung her blade. And with one swift move, that vamp was dead, and his head rolled to her feet. Eyes wide open and his mouth showed a little smirk. He made it easy for her, he wanted to die, with half the puzzle along with him. She swore, wanting the answers to all her questions. A chill went up her spine. Max got a strange feel that she knew who he was talking about. But it couldn't be. Max shook her head and pushed it all aside. The vampire was dead, the girls were safe, and the day was saved. Just a regular day at the office.

The hunter looked down at the smirking face, and glared into his dead eyes that stared back at her. "They can try to drag me back, but I'll kill them before they have the chance," Max said down to the head, as if he were still alive to listen to her words.

She heard the sound of stomps running towards her. She listened, only one pair echoed. It was either Sam or Dean running towards her. Her job was done, and Max walked out of the room with a stained blade and questions on her mind. Questions she'll keep to herself for now.

Dean stopped when he saw his daughter walking towards him in the dark hallway. His tall, proud daughter walking towards him with her head held high, and her bloodied blade in her hand. "Oh, come on! I called dibs," he whined.

The girl smiled, "You can't call dibs on those you can't catch, old man."

"Hey! Watch it, I taught you all I know and I can still take you down. No sweat," Dean stated as he stood and waited for his daughter to walk beside him.

"Is that a challenge, gramps? That's adorable." Max saw Sam run around the corner and had the face of despair when he saw that the kill had already been done. "Hey, the body is back there. See ya outside, garbage boys," Max waved as she descended down the stairs, leaving Sam and Dean to deal with the heavy work.

Dean rolled his eyes and walked back to the room, with Sam following close behind. "Cleanup duty. This is starting to get really old," the annoyed father groaned.

Max was outside alone, in the dark, waiting for the guys to finish up. She repacked her weapons and strapped them to the back of her motorbike. Yep, Max had her own ride now. But it wasn't a cheap sports bike or nothing too fancy. A 2013 black Harley-Davidson slim, a birthday gift when she turn 17 years old. When she was old enough, and experienced enough to hunt on her own. It wasn't the Impala, but it was a way for Max to get around quicker when other hunters near her requested help.

What the Vamp told her pounded her head. Hell's Number One is the best hunter. Whatever this Demon can do, they won't get to her. Not with Dean and Sam by her side. Even so, whoever this Demon hunter is, Max had to be extremely careful. Though she may be the best hunter, but her mind was still playing tricks on her.

It's been four years, and nightmares still haunt her sleep. Her eyes still make her see what isn't there. Four years, and the feeling that the monster inside her lingered still. She knew she wasn't one. Max didn't torture souls in Hell, but she remembers the feeling of her skin being ripped off. She still felt the shackles on her wrist, cutting into her skin. And she still saw the face of the one who tortured and tormented her in the years down there. Everything still haunts the Winchester. The girl who survived, is still curled up in a ball of fear in her mind. Until Max kills the one who took her, and the one who tortured her, she will never be the same.

"Something on your mind," a raspy voice asked behind Max. Making her jump out of her skin.

"Damn it, Cas," Max squeaked, feeling her heart pop out of her chest. "You need to where a bell or something."

"My apologies," Castiel said. He walked over in front of her and stood, reading her face. "How are you doing," he smiled.

"Same as last month. And the month before, and the months before that," she answered. She took another sip of water and saw that Castiel was still waiting for an answer. "I'm fine, Cas."

"Yes. And all those month and answers you have given were lies, Max," he watched as the girl dropped her arms and rolled her eyes. "Have you talked about it yet to anyone? It's been four years."

"You told me I have to learn to control it. And that's what I did. I taught myself control and they haven't been as bad ever since. There's no need to talk about it."

The angel looked towards the girl again, and saw her eyes, they spoke all the truth to him. "You still see her face. Don't you," he asked an extremely low tone. Watching as her expression when from a grown woman, to the small terrified face of the smallest child. "Why do you humans lie? I never understood that."

It was a good question. Why do humans lie? No answers came to her, except for the face that always haunted her for years in her sleep and in her mind. Max may be strong, but she was very fragile on the inside. Crumbling every time she tries to forget. Curling up in a ball of tears at nights, praying for it all to end.

There was no point in lying to Castiel anymore. He saw it all on her face. "…Yes. All the time."

"And you haven't told Dean this because…"

"Because I just can't. I still can't…" Max's voice cracked. "It hurts, Cas. It always does. Trust me, I've tried to tell Dad and Sammy. But every time I do, I begin lose it. My only solace is hunting. Hunting them all down until they're gone. Every single one. And I will not stop until they are all gone, bleeding and dying at my feet."

Dean's voice caused Max's heart to stop. It was low, dark and angry at her. "Killing relentlessly, that was how you found your peace," he asked. Max turned, looking straight into his glaring eyes, seeing all the small anger, sadness and concern for her that he's bottled up for years. All his questions were finally getting answered. "All those people that you hunted, they could have been saved if you didn't kill them right away."

"They couldn't be saved. They were monsters, dad. And even if we did save them, there still is a monster that lingers deep down inside them. Waiting to be break out again. And when they do show their monster side again, it was just a wasted effort for us," Max said, crossing her arms.

"Why didn't you talk to us, Huh? What's scaring you so much at night that you wander in the halls and stay up all night? What caused you to be like this," Dean demanded.

"You wouldn't understand. You just wouldn't." Max climbed unto her bike quickly. "The things I saw down there, Dad…they won't go away by just having a little family meeting. You will act like you will understand but you really don't. So don't even think that you can help me, because no one can."

Dean quickly reached over, snatched the keys out of her ignition then placed them in his pocket. Max glared at him, and he did the same back. "You're not going anywhere until you talk," he growled.

"Give my keys back," the girl demanded.

"Not until you talk," Dean repeated in a low growl.

"Max, please, we're just trying to help," Sam stepped forward.

The girl rolled her eyes. Scoffing at her family and the Angel that stood before her. Faces filled with concern, waiting for her to speak. Waiting for the truth, and answers that she kept from them. But, Max was stubborn, worse than Dean and her Grandfather, John. Genetics.

"There's nothing you can do to help me," the young Winchester said firmly. "Everything I went through down there, it will never be compared to anything that happens here. Right now. I can still see faces, but you never see me run from them. Not like the first time, at Uncle Bobby's four years ago. I live my nightmares, and they tell me that I am still here. I suffer from that pain. The pain shows that I am alive. Still breathing. You told me those words back then, and I live by them."

"I also said that we would be here when you need to talk," he waved his hand between Sam and himself.

"Talk? Every time I tried I grow afraid."

"Afraid of what," Sam asked, growing angry at his niece like Dean.

Max let out an uneven sigh, dropping her shoulders and head. Looking down at her feet, debating if she should just tell them, or if she should run. True, she can easily outrun Dean and Sam. But the Angel? Not a chance. "Afraid… I'm afraid, that you won't see me… As your daughter anymore. I'm afraid that it will come back and haunt me. That _They _will come and hunt me down."

Sam raised an eyebrow, confused by her last statement. "Hunting you? Who?"

It was quiet for a moment. Dean, Sam and the Angel waited. Waited for Max to speak. But, she was piecing it all together in her mind before she made the conclusion. She was right. What that vampire said to her. How she knows Max like the back of her hand. How she wants Max back in her cage. Max knew who this demon was, and her fear spiked higher, now that the puzzle and the pieces were all put together. She shook her head from side to side, in denial. She let out a shuttering gasp and slowly began to hyperventilate, both her hands covering her ears, trying to keep the screams out. But they were in her head, always in her head.

"Max," Dean shouted to her. He was down on his knees with her, cupping her face with his hands. Trying to get his daughter to calm down as much as he can. Max looked up and saw her father through the darkness that began to cover her eyes. Then she began to hear his cries for her through the screaming in her mind. "Max! Calm down! Look at me, look at me. Breathe, in… and out…"

The young Winchester did as she was told, and the darkness creeped away and her sight began to clear. Her breathing slowed, as did her heart rate. Her body numb and heavy. Nightmares, for sure were going to be returning. Maybe worse than ever.

"Max, who is hunting you," Dean managed to ask.

"Karen," Max choked out. "Karen wants me back in my cage…"

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**Kind of a short chapter but still, better than nothing right? Well, hopefully within the next week or so, I can get back to writing for this story and back to Not an Average Teenager soon. This summer was crazy and very busy. I can't believe I am going to say this, but I am so ready to go back to school. Starting at a new university this fall. Thank you for being patient. **


	7. Chapter 7

**_This is Chapter 6, not 7...it's late and I should be in bed..._**

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_A __dim, almost burnt out candle light lit up her metal cage, casting flickering shadows of her chains on the walls._ _Blood dripped down her face, falling to the puddle of blood below. Mixed with sweat and tears, it showed the red reflection of the girl that hanged from the chains and meat hooks. She didn't dare to look, she didn't want to see the work that the demons done. She didn't have the courage to look at her broken body. Her maybe body broken, but not her soul. She was strong, but for how long she wondered. How long can she take this torment? How long has it been since she's been in Hell? Days. Months. Years. She lost count. _

_Not a sound came from outside her eternal prison. She's couldn't tell what was going on outside of her cage. The only thing she heard was the sound of her own heavy breathing, her blood dripping to the floor, and her own voices inside her head. Telling her to keep fighting. Make it through all the pain and agony. She made it this far, but also the voices told her to let go and give up as well. Give up and become a demon. Torture souls, so that she can no longer feel pain but instead inflict pain on poor souls. That thought crossed her mind so many times. She wanted nothing more than to say yes. But, she was better than that. She refused to become the thing that she once hunted. She wouldn't become like her mother. _

_A loud clang jolted the girl awake from her nightmares. Down there, the nightmares were more peaceful that being awake. Her eyes opened wide, and the pained awakened. The chains rattled, cutting into the wrist again, her breathing quickened. Her head felt too heavy to lift up, and look into the eyes of the Demon in her cage, but she didn't need to. She knew who it was, and she avoided her gaze at all cost, did her best to block out her voice, her laughter. Just the very presence of the demon made her blood freeze, activating a never ending shakiness. She prayed for it to all be a dream. But in hell, there is no such thing as a prayer. _

_A hand tightly grasped her neck, squeezing what air she had out of her. Lifting her up to look into the eyes of the demon. She smiled at the broken bodied girl. Her eyes turned black, and her face changed, inducing fear into the girl. _

_ "…__Hello, my daughter. My Maxie…"_

_The Demon raised her hand into the air, and buried it deep into the girl's chest, gripping her heart, squeezing it before ripping it out of her chest. And all that was heard, was the forever echoing screams of the damned Max Winchester._

* * *

Max jumped up from her pillow, her hand resting on her chest, gripping her shirt. Her chest ached, as if everything in the nightmare was real. The plain was real, that's for sure. Her heart felt like it was being ripped out. Her wrist ached and stung to the touch. Her shoulders sore where the hooks were impaled. Was it just a dream? Or was all of it real? Her face, that twisted face seared forever into Max's brain. That very face that's haunted her throughout the years.

Her hair, pillow and bed soaked with sweat, and breathing heavily. She grabbed her pillow and buried her head into it, screaming at the top of her lungs before coming back up for air. Tears ran down her face, but she quickly wiped them away, caught her breathe and didn't even think about going back to sleep. She sat, frozen in place for a long while. She didn't know how long she sat in her dimly lit room. Staring at the wall with her mind filled it racing thoughts, never to end anytime soon. She was awake, now there was no way she can go back to sleep. Wanting to get the sticky sweat feeling off her, Max decided to shower. Even though it was four in the morning. She didn't care, the teenager was used to it.

It's been like this for the last few years for the teenage girl. Sleeping for a few hours a night, nightmares running her life, fear controlling her. But the hot water running down her face was the greatest feeling since her latest hunt only hours ago. The smell of blood and vampire still lingered after her first shower. Her shower was peaceful, calm and soothing. Her Ipod speaker blaring music while she wiped the soap off her light skin. Praying for the stale blood smell to finally disappear. When she finished, only twenty minutes have passed, and it was just after 4:30.

Max sighed. There was nothing else to do but wander the halls of their new bunker they discovered to be a full of old books, weapons and more information on monsters than Bobby Singer has. It was nice, the Winchesters had a nice place to stay other than moving from hotel to hotel. Hunter's HQ is what Dean called it. Max didn't care what it was called, it had everything for them to use, and it was almost like had a home again. Almost.

When they found it a year ago, Max wandered the halls, exploring every room and book when she awoke in the middle of the nights like this. But, she explored it all, now she had nothing to do, and it was only 4:45. So much time, and nothing to do except to cook breakfast after she heard her stomach growl. With her short boyish hair still damp, she went to the kitchen. Quietly, slowly walking through the halls barefoot, her boots hanging from the laces off her shoulder. Not wanting to wake up Sam or her father, Max practically tip-toed through the bunker. And, she didn't want to share her food with anyone awake. But, knowing her father, once he smells the bacon, he'll be at the table waiting for her to finish cooking.

The pan was on the stove, the bacon grease already melting only second after being dropped into the frying pan. Her eggs already beaten and the bacon packaged ripped open. Her music playing on a low volume and Dean snuck in, leaning on the counter watching Max cook. She had no clue that he was behind her, actually she had no clue that he was even up. He heard her scream in her sleep, and heard the shower running at such an odd time. He had an idea of who and what it was, and it was something that's been happening for four years.

Max turned around, going for the bowl of eggs before she discovered Dean holding the bowl out to her. Scaring his daughter and causing her to drop her utensil. "Jesus! Christ! What the Hell are you doing," Max shouted. Her heart felt like it was literally beating in and out of her chest.

"I could asked you the same thing," he smiled, wishing he could've recorded that entire moment.

"Well, cooking breakfast and about to die from a heart attack, you jerk," Max chuckled.

Dean raised an eyebrow, "Cooking breakfast? At five in the morning?"

"Morning…that's when breakfast is usually eaten, right," Max poured the eggs into the skillet and already begun to cook. She pushed them around with her spatula, then broke more eggs for her dad. "How did you know I was up anyway? I didn't even start cooking the bacon yet."

"I heard you screaming. Nothing new, though. Been hearing it for the last four years," Dean said casually. He moved over to the other side of her and started cooking the bacon. He felt the awkward silence between him and his daughter after only a couple minutes ticked by. "So, what was it? A scary movie? Video game," Dean asked calmly.

"Don't play dumb. You know what it was," Max answered, mixing the eggs in the glass bowl before pouring more into the hot skillet. "Like you said, it's nothing new. Omelet or scramble?"

"Omelet," Dean answered. He moved forward a bit, so Max can get to the fridge for the cheese. He picked up a slice of cooked bacon and chopped it for the omelet. "Coffee or juice?"

"Both," Max said as she flipped the omelet and scooped it onto a plate. She sighed, setting the plates on the table while Dean grabbed the drinks.

"Four years, Max. I've been patiently waiting for four years. And now, we find out that your moth_"

"Don't call her that," Max cut him off, practically yelled into his face. Dean stared her in surprise. He didn't even get to finish, and Max was already to blow up. He saw the betrayal, sadness and pain in her eyes. She turned away, running her hands through her hair before getting the silverware, clearing her throat in the process. "She's not," she said more calmly.

Dean starred at his daughter. Her sudden outburst was the last straw for him. "Okay, you know what? This has gone on long enough. I have had it."

"Do you want your breakfast to go," Max asked. Not wanting to argue with early with her father. He didn't answer her, "Well, I'm gonna make mine to go."

"We're not going to have breakfast. We're not going to eat anything until you talk."

"Then it looks like you're going to starve." Max had her back towards her father, and leaned on the counter. She was tired of fighting. Tired of arguing. Tired of it all. She hated getting into fights with her father like this. She sighed, resting her head in her arms and kicked the counter. Her voice was unsteady, shaky when she spoke again, "I… I was back in my cage."

Dean dropped his shoulders, confused. "What?"

"My nightmare, it's always my cage. My cell. My chains. You know, I can still feel the weight of them on my wrist. Cutting into them, making them bleed. It still hurts sometimes." She went silent for a moment, catching her breath again, feeling the pain in her chest from her nightmare.

"Where does your mo_ Karen fit into all this," Dean changed his words when he saw Max's shoulders tense up. "I know she's a demon now, but_" Dean stopped talking when he saw Max start shaking, then shook her head from side to side, refusing to answer. "Max."

Max still leaned on the counter, she cleared her throat, but her voice was still shaky. "In the nightmare, my heart was being…ripped out before I woke up. I can still feel the hand inside my chest. It hurts, dad. You have no idea how badly it hurts. And, you want me to talk about it? About it all? You really believe that it's going to help me?"

"Cas thinks it will," Dean shrugged.

The teenager rolled her eyes, scoffing at the advice the Angel gave to them. "Castiel is an Angel that has no emotion. He doesn't know anything about pain or eternal suffering."

"But he knows what happened to you down there. Does he know about Karen?"

"He does, because…because he saved me from her," Max dropped her head. She didn't want to tell Dean what Karen did, what she's done. The woman he once loved, the woman was once a mother to Max was a monster entirely.

"W-what do you mean by he saved you from her," Dean caught on. Max shook her head, she refused to answer. But this time, Dean was going to get an answer from her. He grew tired of waiting after a minute of awkward silence in the kitchen, he stomped over to Max, grabbing her by her shoulders and made her face him. He finally saw the tires that ran down her face. "Max, what did you mean and you better fucking answer me, girl," he growled.

"She ripped out my heart. Broke my bones. Peeled off my skin. She tortured me, Dad," Max begun to list off. The pain flowing through her body, the dark memories returning like a wrecking ball to her brain. Tears running down her face like waterfall. "And she enjoyed it," she coughed, "That bitch enjoyed every second of it. Laughing and dancing. She had a huge smile on that ugly demented face of hers while I screamed and begged."

Dean heard enough, his heart had begun to hurt as well. He wanted answers, he's waited for them, now he's got them. Shoved into his face, trying to process it all. "Max," he tried to stop her, "Max, that's enough_"

"Do you know, what it is like to have slices of skin ripped off? Or to have an iron rod sticking out of your chest, piercing your heart? To have roaring flames eat_"

"That's Enough!"

"You wanted to know! Is it too much for you," the eighteen year old stomped up to her father, only inches smaller than him, she somehow ended up face to face with the man. She was at the height he was, starring into his eyes, sharing her pain with him. "You waited four years for all of this! Well, now you got it! I had to endure it for years. Decades! One hundred and forty years I had to endure all that pain_"

Dean's temper grew, he grabbed the collar of Max's shirt, and shoved her away from him. "Well maybe if you weren't stupid and trying to be a damn hero, it would be me down there and not you!"

Max caught herself before she fell backwards. Stomping back up to Dean, then shoving him back. "Damn it, Dad, I was doing what you taught me when I first held my gun. You told me we protect each other! We're family, and family makes sacrifices for each other! I was doing what you taught me! I wasn't trying to be a hero, I was doing what we do. We saved people, we hunt things… the Family business! Are we even still a family anymore?!"

The tension between the two was overwhelming, the air was practically unbreathable for neither of them. But, they both stood their ground and, refusing to let either one win this four year battle. Fire and rage roared in Max's eyes, Dean can see it. The red blazing flames that lit her soul and fuel her anger. She was right, he wouldn't understand even if he tried. Everything Max just said to him was correct. He taught her that family is important. And they do make sacrifices for each other, no matter what the cost maybe. The family business, they were barely a family now. It hurt him, deep down that it all led to this. Him and Max argued nearly every day and it ended up like this. This had to be the worst battle they had. Right now, he was just thankful that Sam was still asleep.

"Besides," Max broke Dean's thoughts. Her voice was low, deep, and filled with pain. "Heroes don't do to Hell. Heroes don't exist. I'm just a damned girl with Demons on her tail, waiting to see my blood pour onto the cold floor. But you wouldn't understand what that feels like." Max starred at the table, where their breakfast sat. Growing cold. It was then she decided that that she was no longer hungry. "You can have my food," she sighed.

"Where are you going?"

"To my room since I'm on lock down," Max said before turning to leave.

Dean looked at the table in a sad way. "I thought you were going to eat? It's been a while since we've eaten together."

Max scoffed, turning around and looked at her father. "How can we even eat together without fighting? I mean, we can't even be in the same room together for five minutes anymore. Thanks, but no."

Dean watching with saddened eyes as his daughter left the kitchen, dropped his head. Realizing that he couldn't help his daughter, not alone anyways. He had to fix this, the relationship with his daughter was breaking. It was thin rope that held the two together.

He was alone, and left with the dreadful task of cleaning up. The cookware sat on the stove, the carton of eggs still sat on the counter. Hate for those to go to waste, and the open bacon. He wrapped those and place the food back in the fridge where they belongs. He rubbed the back of his neck, looking at the dirty dishes and food covered plates. His hunger subsided as well, then declared Sam to clear up the mess. He always does anyways if left out like that. Dean smiled at the idea, took the cooked bacon and left the messy kitchen with his heart still aching.

* * *

Max laid on her bed after a few hours of punching the poor pillow and pacing around her room. Rearranging her weapons, moving stuff around. Packing, then repacking her hunting gear. Anything to avoid going outside of her room. She wanted solitude. Wanted it more than anything. It was the only thing that brought her peace of mind. Max didn't want to be bother constantly by Dean and Sam…and the Angel. It was calm, being alone. No talking. Nothing disturbing her thoughts. It was just what she needed after a very eventful morning with her father. But only few hours past, time was treading by extremely slow. It was barely nine, and the teenager was ready for the long day to be over.

With a sigh, she checked her locked door. It was secured. Then she turned to her speaker and ipod that sat on her dresser, placing the settings on shuffle, and volume on its highest. That way she couldn't hear anyone knocking on her door. Alone and with music. It was relaxing for the eighteen year old as she jumped on her bed, only to stare at the bland gray ceiling above her. It was calm, so calm that Max didn't even realized that she was drifting. Her eye lids grew heavy, then closed completely shut, blocking out the light from her lam, and entering in the darkness. Peaceful. But, the peacefulness didn't last for long.

_"__MAX!" _

A high pitched, ear piercing scream jolted the girl awake. Her eyes were barely closed for a minute she thought as she hoped off the bed and grabbed her gun from under her pillow. A habit that she gained from Dean. Her bare feet on the cold floor. One second, her room was normal, then she blinked, and was surrounded by darkness. All her heard was her heavy panting, and the soft clanking of metal. She closed her eyes, then opened them, hoping for it all to be a dream. But, flames surrounded her then, blocking her inside the small confined circle. No escape without getting burned.

The gun in her hand disappeared, leaving the girl defenseless. Screams filled the air around her, causing her to press her palms against her ears. It was no use as they continued to echo in her head. But what scared her the most, was the satanic laughter that was louder and more frightening than the blood chilling screams. Fear over took the girl's body, making her freeze. Her eyes widened, she feared to even blink. She was afraid of what might show up if she did. Then the moaning, groaning and pleads of help enter the parade of sound. They call for something that won't come to save them. Worthless efforts of the damned souls.

Max squeezed her eyes shut, and pounded the sides of her head with her palm. Screaming to herself to wake up from the hell that infiltrated her head. Her bit her tongue, tasting blood and feeling that pain to wake her up. But nothing work. She was so focused on trying to wake herself up, she didn't even feel the hands of the crying souls grab her. From her toes to below the knees, the hands gripped her like death, refusing to let her go. Her eyes shot open when she felt a burning heat from the bottoms of her feet. The ground below her cracked open, it was then she discovered the arms that belongs to the beasts and damned souls form below. They didn't allow the girl to move away, not even for a centimeter.

They screamed to her, echoing through her frozen soul. All at once, bombarding Max with guilt, with fear, with pain that she fought away all these years. The twisted faces screamed at her,

"_Why were you saved? What about us? We deserve a second chance too! Drag her back down! Make her suffer!"_

"No!" It was too late, after the girl cried, they had already begun pulling her down into the glowing fire pit. She screamed as the burning flames ate her flesh. "No!"

The angered spirits were unrelenting. New hands and bones grabbed Max's body as she descended. Not letting go. Not allowing her to move. She shouted and cried for help. So much that her throat began to burn and ache. Her cries blended in with all the other screams the surrounded her. She called out for Dean. For Sammy. For John and Bobby. To everyone in her family to help… to save her. No one came. No one grabbed her outstretch arm that was pointed to the dark void above.

It was all over, she thought. This was it. She gave out one last cry. It was over.

Until…

A hand grabbed hers tightly, almost breaking it. She felt like her arm was going to be ripped out of its socket as it fought against the demonic force. She couldn't see who it belonged too, but it felt familiar, as it pulled her out of the hellish nightmare. Her name was being called, screaming for her.

"Wake up, Max!" a voice shouted from above. "Wake up, Damn it!"

Her eyes snapped open, only to be greeted with a pair of eyes that stared down at her. She screamed, continued screaming after she awoke from her nightmare.

It was all a dream.

Max fought against the strong arms that held her in place. Dean's arms, her father's arms. Wrapped around her waist from behind, bounding her arm to her sides. Her back rested on her father's chest, his head back from getting hit by her thrashing head. He wasn't going to let her go. She still fought against them. Fighting to get free, to break away. Screeching at her tight prison. Her legs, held down by Sam. He sat on them, resting his hands on her knees, forcing them to stay down.

The adrenaline course through the girl's body, giving her strength for a few more moments before it faded away, and died. Her trashing and fighting subsided and ceased. Her body limp, her muscles twitching. Her head rolled to the right side, resting on Dean's arm. Her screeching replaced by weak whimpers and soft crying. Her breathing stuttered turning into little gasps of air ever few seconds. All the girl heard was her unsteady breathing, the soothing sound that came from her father. She felt his breathing on her sweaty neck. Even when her weak body went limp, he didn't release his tight hold on her. He bowed his head, exhausted from the fighting the terrified girl that fought in her sleep. Her bound prison, was an embracing hug form her father.

"Its okay, Maxie. I'm here. You're safe," he repeated to her. Over and over again.

The eighteen year old breathed heavily, "You… win," she spoke weakly. Dean and Sam exchanged confused glances. She repeated, "You win. I'll talk…I'll tell you everything."

* * *

**Sorry for the updates. I know, they are taking forever. I'm trying to hurry up, but writers block sucks dude. So, someone said it would be interesting to see Max dragged back to Hell. Honestly, I don't know what I am going to do, I have so many options and ideas. I think that's what's slowing me down, trying to figure out what to do with Max. Its the same thing for Not an Average Teenager, so many ideas, not knowing what to do. But I'll get to it. For now, you'll just have to wait and see. If you have any ideas, I would love to see them. Just inbox me! =) that's all. thanks for reading. **


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